The Sand Creek Massacre

Press

This page aggregates historical press releases, media coverage, and updates regarding the award-winning documentary film, The Sand Creek Massacre, directed and produced by Donald L. Vasicek via Olympus Films+, LLC. The film preserves the oral histories of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people to educate the public on historical atrocities and promote non-violent conflict resolution.

Film Cataloging & Institutional Archives

Ethnic Studies Library at U.C. Berkeley and First Nations University of Canada Catalog Film

Centennial, CO – July 15, 2011 – The Sand Creek Massacre, an award-winning documentary film, is to be catalogued in the Ethnic Studies Library at U.C. Berkeley and the First Nations University of Canada. Already catalogued in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, The Billy Baguley Museum in Phoenix, the American Indian Genocide Museum in Houston, and 28 U.S. and Canadian Tribal Libraries, the film provides an oral history of the attack on over 400 Cheyennes by the Colorado 1st and 3rd Cavalries on November 29, 1864.

The story of the Sand Creek Massacre is told on camera by Cheyenne and Arapaho people whose ancestors were present during the event. Donald L. Vasicek, who wrote, directed, and produced the film via his company, Olympus Films+, LLC, stated: “This film has an educational value that is unparalleled with respect to films of this nature. To hear firsthand what took place at Sand Creek is chilling, riveting, and compelling. It informs and inspires others to learn more about America’s indigenous cultures in order to pave the way for more peaceful relationships.”

25 U.S. Tribal Libraries Add Film to Collections

Centennial, CO – June 25, 2011 – The Sand Creek Massacre has been catalogued into 25 U.S. Tribal Libraries. Vasicek noted, “By archiving it into tribal libraries, it will expand a badly needed accessibility to all American Indian Tribes in order to neutralize racism and give American youth an opportunity to interact with other cultures with open minds.”

Smithsonian Institution Libraries Catalogue Documentary

Centennial, CO – June 10, 2011 – The Sand Creek Massacre has been officially catalogued into the Smithsonian Institution Libraries system. The record can be located by searching the online catalog at sil.si.edu. Vasicek remarked, “It helps neutralize ignorance and fear of cultures without the exposure to which most Americans have grown accustomed. It is indeed an honor to have the film in Smithsonian Institution Libraries.”

Archived at the Heard Museum and Billie Jean Baguley Library

Centennial, CO – August 27, 2008 – The documentary short has been archived in The Billie Jean Baguley Library and the Heard Museum in Phoenix. “The film keeps their dream alive regardless of the genocide that has stalked all American native people,” Vasicek stated, noting that a follow-up six-episode series titled Ghosts of Sand Creek has entered development to further dimensionalize the history.

Educational Screenings & Training Programs

Federal Dispute Resolution Training Integration

Centennial, CO – July 6, 2007 – Dr. C. Smiley-Marquez of Smiley & Co., Ltd. integrated The Sand Creek Massacre documentary into a six-hour federal training session titled “Historic Trauma: Conflict Intervention & Native Americans.” The presentation took place at the 22nd Annual Federal Dispute Resolution Conference (FDR) in San Francisco, designed for federal personnel, supervisors, and legal professionals. Dr. Smiley-Marquez selected the film to illustrate the enduring impact of historic trauma on Native peoples.

Tribal College Librarians Institute Screening

Centennial, CO – May 24, 2011 – The film was selected for a special screening at the Tribal College Librarians Institute, hosted on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman from June 6–10, 2011.

SAIGE Conference Presentation

Centennial, CO – May 14, 2008 – Dr. C. Smiley-Marquez utilized the documentary during a specialized presentation for the Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan, focusing on historic trauma and conflict intervention.

Broomfield Independent Film Series

Centennial, CO – May 9, 2007 – The Broomfield Independent Film Series hosted a local screening of the documentary at the Broomfield Auditorium on May 16, 2007, followed by a live Q&A session with director Donald L. Vasicek discussing Native awareness and regional history.

Academic Classroom Impact: Dallas & Thailand

  • Dallas, TX (April 2007): Screened in a ninth-grade classroom, teachers reported the film served as a critical tool for analyzing historical perspectives, prompting students to compare the events to global instances of genocide.
  • Kasetsart University, Thailand (August 2007): Distributed to advanced English language classes to supplement international curricula covering indigenous history and human rights.

Film Festival Awards & International Recognition

Golden Drover Award and Festival Honors

Centennial, CO – January 16, 2008 – The Sand Creek Massacre was awarded the Golden Drover Award for Best Native American Film at the Trail Dance Film Festival in Duncan, Oklahoma. The documentary has garnered multiple festival honors, including:

  • Best Native American Film – American Indian Film Festival (Houston, TX)
  • Best Short Film – The Indie Gathering Film Festival (Cleveland, OH)
  • Official Selection – Haydenfilms Film Festival

International Screenings: Germany & Global Broadcasts

The film has been screened in over 100 venues globally, including Sweden, Thailand, and Europe. In June 2007, the artistic committee of the INDIANER INUIT: North American Native Film Festival officially requested the film for exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany. Broadcast distribution has included television airings in Philadelphia (DUTV), Houston (HCCTV), Los Angeles, and Dallas, with North American and Asian educational distribution managed by Films Media Group.

Media Coverage & Editorial Features

“Rising from Sand Creek” – Indian Country Today

Denver, CO – December 10, 2004 – Journalist Brenda Norrell detailed the production of the documentary, highlighting its reliance on oral histories passed down by the descendants of the childhood survivors. The article emphasized the project’s goal of challenging standard historical narratives by providing uncompromised tribal perspectives. The report also noted the integration of critical historical discoveries into the project, including the 1990s recovery of letters written in 1864 by Captain Silas S. Soule and Lt. Joseph Cramer protesting the actions of Colonel John Chivington.

“Film tells Sand Creek story from tribes’ eyes” – Colorado Springs Gazette

November 7, 2004 – Reporter Dennis Huspeni covered the debut of the film’s initial project demonstration in Castle Rock, CO. The feature highlighted Vasicek’s multi-year independent financing of the project and the deep emotional bonds formed with Cheyenne and Arapaho communities during filming to ensure historical preservation.

Additional Media Profiles

  • Dance With Life Magazine (February 2009): Featured an editorial profile by publisher Tomaca Govan commending the film’s accuracy in documenting systemic historical atrocities.
  • Digital Cinema Report (November 2008): Announced an agreement for Donald L. Vasicek to author a bi-monthly column focusing on screenwriting, non-linear editing transitions, and independent film production workflows.
  • CFWE Radio (May 2007): Broadcasted a comprehensive, two-part interview detailing the production’s creative philosophy and the systemic issues facing modern reservation infrastructures.

Digital Launches & Educational Materials

Web Platform and Lesson Plan Releases

To maximize classroom accessibility, Olympus Films+, LLC launched a dedicated digital portal at sandcreekmassacre.net, incorporating primary source accounts, video trailers, and study materials. In May 2007, formalized lesson plans developed in collaboration with educator Loyce Hopkins were released. This curriculum bridges the documentary’s video oral histories with mapped timelines of Cheyenne and Arapaho history to teach structural awareness and conflict resolution strategies.

Lulu.com Digital Marketplace Distribution

Centennial, CO – October 12, 2007 – Olympus Films+, LLC expanded its distribution footprint by making the complete award-winning documentary short available via the digital marketplace Lulu.com, enabling independent access for educators, historians, and international audiences seeking complete copyright-controlled media.

Production Profiles & Contacts

About Olympus Films+, LLC

Founded by Donald L. Vasicek in 1993, Olympus Films+, LLC specializes in independent writing, filmmaking, and consulting workflows designed to document the human condition. Notable documentary productions include Faces (examining contemporary LGBTQ+ perspectives) and Oh, The Places You Can Go… (documenting specialized transitional youth programs).

Resource Directory

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