2 0 1 3 ▁document ary ▁short ▁film ▁telling ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁two ▁Native ▁Americans ▁from ▁Minnesota ▁who ▁were ▁taken ▁away ▁from ▁their ▁families ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age . ▁ ▁Jane ▁Well s ▁of ▁ 3 ▁Gener ations ▁directed ▁the ▁film . ▁It ▁follows ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁Joy ce , ▁a ▁recover ing ▁drug - add ict ▁who ▁now ▁works ▁as ▁a ▁nur se ▁in ▁a ▁mental ▁institution , ▁and ▁P au lette , ▁a ▁mother ▁who ▁doesn ’ t ▁associate ▁with ▁the ▁n atives ▁in ▁her ▁town . ▁▁ ▁Both ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁now ▁grand m oth ers . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁told ▁from ▁the ▁perspective ▁of ▁not ▁only ▁them , ▁but ▁also ▁their ▁daughters , ▁Amy ▁and ▁Da wn . ▁ ▁Native ▁Sil ence ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁screen ing ▁at ▁the ▁Asp en ▁Short sf est , ▁the ▁American ▁Indian ▁Film ▁Festival ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁Nation ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁ ▁Native ▁Sil ence ▁is ▁a ▁film ▁that ▁tack les ▁the ▁issues ▁of ▁Native ▁Americans ▁from ▁the ▁previous ▁generation ▁who ▁almost ▁never ▁got ▁a ▁chance ▁to ▁tell ▁their ▁story . ▁ ▁It ▁documents ▁the ▁historical ▁tra uma , ▁dru gs , ▁alco hol ism , ▁famil ial ▁est r ang ement ▁and ▁sexual ▁violence ▁that ▁domin ates ▁the ▁Native ▁American ▁population . ▁ ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁these ▁pressing ▁issues , ▁most ▁Americans ▁remain ▁una ware ▁of ▁them . ▁ ▁History ▁Joy ce ▁and ▁P au lette ▁both ▁grew ▁up ▁as ▁or ph ans ▁living ▁in ▁fost er ▁homes ▁and ▁att ending