Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Wind River’ isn’t just fiction — it’s based on tragic stories the world keeps overlooking
Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen's 2017 crime flick 'Wind River' is gaining all the love and attention following its debut on Netflix. Set against the intricate world of the modern American West, the movie not only exposes the harsh realities of life on reservations but also maintains a sense of urgency through a murder mystery. With its gripping storyline, the movie depicts the incidents, which are nearly identical to real-life tragedies, making many wonder if it is based on a true story.
Director and writer of 'Wind River,' Taylor Sheridan told NPR that while the movie isn't based on one specific case, it draws from "thousands of actual stories just like it." He pointed out the core issue behind the film, saying, "This issue with sexual assault against women on the reservation, I mean, it's existed since the inception of a reservation system. But, really, in the past 15, 20 years, it's exploded." Sheridan further added, "And it gets no attention, which is the motivation for writing the film."
Sheridan also explained that 'Wind River' was inspired by his time living on Native American reservations in his late 20s. In written testimony supporting the Savanna's Act, he explained that the film was inspired by his experiences traveling to and living on Native American reservations, as per People. Notably, Sheridan developed friendships with members of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone communities on the Pine Ridge reservation, where he witnessed struggles with "poverty, unemployment, and crime," as per The Guardian.
He also recalled a personal moment of prejudice, revealing, "My buddy was like, 'You're hanging out with the Indians. They aren't going to sell you s**t." Sheridan continued, "It was the only time in my life that I've experienced anything close to racism. I was judged not for my race but for their race." Sheridan said the Pine Ridge community felt overlooked by the rest of America, with their struggles going unnoticed. Using his Hollywood platform, he realized he could help amplify their voices. "I was told, 'Hey, you've got a pipeline. No one gives a s**t about our story," he recalled.
Reportedly, 'Wind River' follows the investigation into the rape and murder of a young Native American woman, Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Asbille). In written testimony on the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center website, Sheridan explained that the story was inspired by real accounts he heard while living in the Oglala Sioux Tribal community on the Pine Ridge reservation. "Natalie was a basketball star with exceptional athletic ability and a student leader with an impressive academic record that would make her the first in her family to attend college," he wrote.
He then added, "By all accounts, Natalie's path in life pointed towards her escaping the cycle of poverty endemic to Indian reservations and the possibility of becoming a future leader in her community and elsewhere." Sheridan said her body was later discovered in a remote part of the reservation after she had been missing for days. "Very little is known about the circumstances surrounding Natalie's death, but stories like hers have become commonplace," he explained. Sheridan continued, "Natalie’s story, and countless others like hers, was the inspiration for Wind River, which tells the story of a young woman's rape and murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation, as well as the heartache and difficulties endured in bringing her perpetrators to justice."