The Exiles

"The Exiles" chronicles one night in the lives of young Native American men and women living in the Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles. Based entirely on interviews with the participants and their friends, the film follows a group of exiles – transplants from Southwest reservations – as they flirt, drink, party, fight, and dance. Kent Mackenzie first conceived of "The Exiles" during the making of his short film "Bunker Hill" (1956) while a student at the University of Southern California. In July 1957, Mackenzie began to hang around with some of the young Indians in downtown Los Angeles. After a couple of months, he broached the subject of making a film that would present a realistic portrayal of Indian life in the community.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Script: Kent Mackenzie

Cinematography: Erik Daarstad, Robert Kaufman, John Morrill. Additional Photography: Sven Walnum, Nicholas Clapp & Vilis Lapenieks. Archive Photographs: Edward S. Curtis

Editing: Kent Mackenzie, Warren Brown, Thomas Conrad, Erik Daarstad, Thomas Miller, Beth Pattrick

Sound: Sam Farnsworth, Thomas Conrad

Music: Anthony Hilder, The Revels, Robert Hafner, Eddie Sunrise

Actors: Yvonne Williams (Yvonne), Homer Nish (Homer), Tommy Reynolds (Tommy)

Production: Milestone Film & Video. Sponsors: Sherman Alexie & Charles Burnett

Producers: Kent Mackenzie, Erik Daarstad, John Morrill, Ronald Austin, Sam Farnsworth, Robert Kaufman, Beth Pattrick, Sven Walnum, Paula Powers

Format: 35mm B&W

Production Country: USA

Production Year: 1961/2008

Duration: 72

Contact: Milestone Film & Video, USAT. +1 201 767 3117 F. +1 201 767 3035milefilms@gmail.com www.milestonefilms.com

Kent Mackenzie

Kent Mackenzie (1930-1980) was a film director and producer who is mainly remembered for his film The Exiles. His mother was English, and his father was Dewitt Mackenzie, who was head of the London Bureau of the Associated Press. After finishing school, Kent Mackenzie enlisted in the air force and later ended up in Hollywood, where, after gaining a scholarship, he made Bunker Hill, his first film. In later years, he worked as an editor on television documentaries and medical and industrial films and shorts. During the 1960s and 1970s, he taught film-making to high school classes. He also directed some films for Dimension Films. He was involved with Dimension Films in making educational films. The Exiles was an independent film that took him three-and-a-half years to make. During the course of the shooting, some of the cast were imprisoned and therefore never appeared in later scenes. He also lost two of his cameramen. Christina Rose of the Indian Country Today Media Network wrote that it was the first film to give an accurate portrayal of urban natives.