Bringing Missing Women To Life On The Screen: "Who She Is"

"Well, I think people process grief in different ways. Some people are in denial about it. Some people are angry about it. Some people are constantly sad about it. But eventually some people accept it and they know they have to move on with their lives. And I think for them, this is a way for them to not only honor their family who passed on that way, but also to gain closure for themselves." -Jordan Dresser

Say my name and I will live forever....Sheila. Lela. Jocelyn. Abbi. These are the women hidden within the statistics of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic in the U.S. Meet them. See them. Say their names. They are “Who She Is”.

Who She Is tells the story of four individual women caught in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic. By bringing these missing women to life on screen, through animation and first-person storytelling, the documentary aims to humanize the people behind the statistics. Audiences will learn each woman's loves and losses and will come to know their story. Through these women, the documentary hopes to shine a light on the wider MMIW epidemic and gendered violence.

Jordan Dresser

Jordan Dresser is the Co-Director and Co-Producer of Who She Is. From 2020-2022 he served as the Chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council leading Tribal affairs on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Jordan is also a journalist, filmmaker and through the Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office plays a key role in repatriation of Tribal artifacts and ancestral remains. Who She Is is Jordan’s 2nd collaboration with Caldera Productions and his directorial debut.

Sophie Barksdale

Sophie Barksdale is the Co-Director and Co-Producer of Who She Is. She has been a producer with Caldera Productions since 2016, having relocated from Australia. During her time with Caldera, Sophie has had a hand in all the Caldera films, including Co-Producing the Heartland Emmy nominee, “The State of Equality” in 2020 and the Independent Lens broadcasted feature, “Home From School: The Children of Carlisle” in 2021. Who She Is is Sophie’s directorial debut and first foray in animated film.

Links:

Wyoming Statewide Missing Persons Report

Who She Is Trailer

Victim Services

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