Three Young Native American sisters and their mother board a bus bound for Los Angeles, leaving home as part of a 1950s government mandate to relocate reserve Indians to urban centers. We follow Janey, Miranda, and Jessie as they lead very disparate adult lives: Janey, a troubled vagrant; Miranda, a burgeoning actress fighting typecasting in Hollywood; Jessie, an idealist physician who’s married to a medical colleague. As it was bureaucratic policy that had dismantled their secure family unit and sent each girl into the unknown, so too did a government paper ultimately bring them together if only symbolically.
Feature Film
September 22 – October 17, 2025
Exploring Family Bonds and Identity in “Tombs”
In the feature film “Tombs”, written and directed by Marie Clements, viewers are taken on a poignant journey following three young Native American sisters and their mother navigating the complex terrain of 1950s government mandates. Forced to leave their home and embark on a bus journey to Los Angeles as part of a relocation initiative, the film explores themes of family, identity, and resilience.
The narrative unfolds as Janey, Miranda, and Jessie lead vastly different lives shaped by their individual struggles and aspirations. Janey faces personal hardships as a troubled vagrant, while Miranda battles against typecasting in Hollywood as she pursues her acting career. On the other hand, Jessie, an idealist physician, navigates the challenges of marriage to a fellow medical professional. As the sisters grapple with their disparate paths, a symbolic reunion catalyzed by a government document offers a glimmer of unity amidst their divergent journeys.
