Fancy Dance (2023 film)

Fancy Dance is a 2023 American drama film directed by Erica Tremblay (in her feature directorial debut), from a screenplay written by Tremblay and Miciana Alise. It stars Lily Gladstone, Isabel DeRoy-Olson and Shea Whigham.

Fancy Dance premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023. It began a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 21, 2024, prior to streaming on Apple TV+ on June 28.

Plot
Since her sister Tawi's disappearance two weeks ago, Jax has cared for her 13-year-old niece Roki on the Seneca–Cayuga reservation. Jax discovers that Tawi dealt methamphetamine in the oil workers' camp on behalf of Boo, a trader running a convenience store on the reservation. Child protective services and Indian Child Welfare authorities place Roki into protective guardianship with her grandfather Frank when they find out about Jax's criminal record. Jax promises Roki that they will meet Tawi at the powwow in Oklahoma City and they decamp in Frank's car in the night.

Because the reservation is under federal jurisdiction, Frank and his wife file Roki's abduction in the morning with FBI. At a shopping mall, Roki steals out of one customer's handbag her car keys and a Glock pistol. Jax's half-brother JJ, who serves with Indian tribal police, tells her that Tawi was seen some time ago at the home of Boo's mother in Tulsa, where Jax finds out that Tawi used to come by in a red pickup truck. When an attendant at a filling station in Shawnee recognises Jax from abduction alerts in the media and wants to notify the police, Roki threatens him with the stolen handgun, accidentally discharging it and wounding the attendant in the shoulder. JJ locates the red pickup in Boo's scrapyard and in the morning the police find Tawi's corpse in the nearby lake.

The film closes with Jax and Roki dancing together in the annual Missing & Murdered Memorial dance at the powwow, as one police officer at the ceremony recognises Jax and alerts his colleagues over the radio.

Cast

 * Lily Gladstone as Jax
 * Isabel DeRoy-Olson as Roki
 * Shea Whigham as Frank
 * Audrey Wasilewski as Nancy
 * Ryan Begay as JJ
 * Crystle Lightning as Sapphire
 * Dennis Newman as Derrick
 * Tamara Podemski as Ricky

Production
In December 2020, the screenplay of Fancy Dance was selected as one of The Indigenous List, initiated by The Black List, IllumiNative and Sundance Institute to spotlight the work of Native American writers. In May 2022, the screenplay also was featured in the Cannes Screenplay List.

In August 2022, it was announced that Erica Tremblay would direct the film, with Confluential Films and Tommy Oliver financing and producing. The principal photography took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma and began in August 2022.

Release
Fancy Dance had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, on January 20, 2023. It also screened at the 2023 South by Southwest, and at the 2023 NewFest.

Cercamon acquired worldwide sales rights to the film on February 16, 2023. In February 2024, Apple TV+ acquired distribution rights to the film, with plans to release it later in the year. It was released in a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 21, 2024, prior to streaming on Apple TV+ on June 28, 2024.