After Killers of the Moon, Lily Gladstone is back with another riveting project. Her upcoming film, Fancy Dance, is a heartbreaking story about the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The movie follows Jax, who cares for her niece, Roki, on the Seneca–Cayuga Nation Reservation after her sister goes missing.
When Jax faces the threat of losing Roki’s custody to her grandfather, the two begin a deep investigation to find Roki’s mother, revealing the plight of Indigenous women in a world of failed justice systems. Fancy Dance is soon releasing in both theatres and on streaming. Here is how you can watch the film.
Fancy Dance: Theatrical and Streaming Release Date
Fancy Dance will hit the cinemas on Friday, June 21st, 2024. However, the release will be limited, with the film screening only in select theatres. A week after its theatrical release, Fancy Dance will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on June 28th for the worldwide audience. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It initially premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year.
Fancy Dance Follows a Woman’s Search for Her Missing Sister
Apple TV+ has unveiled the official synopsis for Fancy Dance, which reads, “Since her sister’s disappearance, Jax has cared for her niece Roki by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow.”
“At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki’s grandfather, Frank, the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track Roki’s mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonised world. At the same time, at the mercy of a failed justice system,” the synopsis reads further.
Lily Gladstone Stars as Jax in Fancy Dance
Lily Gladstone plays the lead role of Jax in the film. The actress is accompanied by Isabel DeRoy-Olson as Roki. The cast includes Shea Whigham as Frank, Audrey Wasilewski as Nancy, Ryan Begay as JJ, Arianne Martin as Donna, and Dennis Newman as Derrick.
Native American filmmaker Erica Tremblay, known for her documentary work, is making her feature film debut with Fance Dance. She has also written the script with Miciana Alise. The film is produced by Tremblay, Deidre Backs, Heather Rae, Nina Yang Bongiovi, and Tommy Oliver.
