SCREENING + DISCUSSION: CONSCIENCE POINT (2019, 75 mins, Director: Treva Wurmfeld)
Beneath the mystique of The Hamptons, among the wealthiest zip codes in the U.S., lies the history of the area’s original inhabitants, the Shinnecock Indian Nation, who were edged off their land over the course of hundreds of years, relocated to an impoverished reservation, and condemned to watch their sacred burial grounds plowed to make way for mega-mansions and marquee attractions like the exclusive Shinnecock Hills Golf Club–five-time host of the U.S. Open and literally carved out of a sacred Shinnecock burial ground. Conscience Point tracks this fractured history alongside the spirited path of one woman determined to make a stand: Shinnecock activist Rebecca “Becky” Hill-Genia who, together with other determined tribal members and allies, has waged a relentless, years-long battle to protect the land and her tribe’s cultural heritage from the ravages of development and displacement. Now both the Shinnecock Nation and town residents face a new challenge; the onslaught of elite newcomers who threaten the very place they intend to cherish.
Post-screening discussion with director/producer Treva Wurmfeld, producer Julianna Brannum (Comanche), co-producer Charles Certain (Shinnecock), and activist Rebecca “Becky” Hill-Genia (Shinnecock). Moderator: Andrew Okpeaha MacLean (NYU Graduate Film).
Co-sponsors: NYU Anthropology, Native Studies Forum