Welcome back to the Deep Dive. So today we're
taking a really close look at a creative force,
someone whose career, well, it's just a powerful
example of how sticking to specific personal
stories can lead to, you know, huge recognition.
Absolutely. We're talking about Sterling Harjo.
Exactly. Filmmaker, showrunner. We're basically
charting his his whole journey today. Yeah. And
Harjo is I mean, he's. undeniably a pivotal figure
right now not just in the film world but really
in the whole story of indigenous media representation
right our sources they really show this clear
sustained focus on place on his community and
that just defines well pretty much every single
project he's touched It's like the ultimate example,
isn't it? Starting with indie films, doing that
foundational work, and then having it lead to
this absolutely groundbreaking success in television.
Totally. And that's really what we want to dig
into today. Yeah, that's the mission. We want
to give you a kind of shortcut to understanding
how he built this incredible career, you know,
from those early independent shorts and features,
using Sundance as a launchpad, all the way to...
Becoming a MacArthur fellow, which is just huge,
and co -creating reservation dogs. It's about
the strategic steps, right? The moves that made
him such an essential voice in American culture
today. Definitely. So to really get the work,
you have to understand the roots, as you said.
Where does it all start? Okay, so the basics.
Strelin Harja was born November 14th, 1979, Holdenville,
Oklahoma. And this is critical. He's a citizen
of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and also has
Muscogee heritage. And that's not just like...
A biographical footnote? Not at all. It's the
absolute core, the wellspring of his creativity.
You look at his work, almost everything from
the very first films to the current stuff on
FX. It's set in Oklahoma. It features Native
American characters, Oklahoman people, often
tackling themes really specific to, you know,
the Seminole and Muskogee experience. So his
identity isn't just woven into the work. It is
the work in a way. It's the foundation. Precisely.
So how did that commitment that... really hyper
-local focus translate into a national, even
international career? Well, the groundwork was
laid academically, artistically. He studied art
and film at the University of Oklahoma. Okay.
And what you see, looking at the sources, is
a young filmmaker who right away, he sought out
support from the kind of key players in American
independent film. The institutions. Exactly,
the institutions. We're basically tracking how
that early focus, that authenticity and sense
of place, it attracted institutional backing
that really paved the way for the massive industry
recognition he got later on. Okay, so let's unpack
those early years then, because the recognition,
it seems like it came remarkably fast. When did
the industry really start paying attention? Almost
immediately after his time at OU, actually. His
vision, which was focusing on contemporary Native
life, something incredibly underserved in movies.
Back then, it just caught the eye of the major
gatekeepers. Right. So in 2004, he gets this
really prestigious fellowship from the Sundance
Institute. Which is a huge deal for an indie
filmmaker. Yeah. Oh, massive. I mean, a Sundance
fellowship is often the biggest stamp of approval
you can get early on. It means funding, yes,
but also mentorship, connections, access. It's
critical. And it wasn't just a one -off thing,
was it? Getting multiple fellowships suggests
they really believed in his potential? Absolutely
right. Just two years later, 2006, he gets another
big boost. This time, a fellowship from United
States artists. Okay, United States artists.
Tell us a bit about them. Well, they're known
for identifying and backing some of the country's
most compelling artists, you know, across all
sorts of disciplines, writing, visual art, film.
So it signals he wasn't just seen as a promising
filmmaker, but like a broader cultural talent.
Exactly. Getting both the Sundance and the USA
fellowships, I mean, that really solidified his
status as someone to watch. even before he'd
finished his first feature film. It showed the
indie world was already betting on his unique
voice. And that confidence, it was built on his
short film work initially. You mentioned Goodnight,
Irene. Yeah, that was 2005. Goodnight, Irene
really put him on the map. It premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival in 2005. Kicking off that
Sundance relationship. Precisely. That became
a really powerful, consistent relationship for
him. Sundance was the platform, and Goodnight
Irene, it didn't just play there. It won a special
jury award at the Aspen Shorts Fest, which shows
his storytelling was connecting beyond just the
native film community. Critics, audiences were
responding. So that pattern launching at Sundance,
it leads us right into his first feature, Four
Sheets to the Wind in 2007. How did this film
kind of lay out the Harjo blueprint? Four Sheets
to the Wind is like the definitive statement
of what he was about early on. The story itself,
it centers on this young Seminole man. He travels
from his really small, specific hometown. The
sources really emphasize the small town aspect.
Right. To Tulsa. He's going to visit his sister
right after their father suddenly passes away.
Okay, so things of grief, family. Absolutely.
Grief, dislocation, family bonds, but all framed
by that physical Oklahoma landscape. And it's
contemporary. And the critical reception for
this debut, it was pretty significant, wasn't
it? Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance
2007. Yeah, which is massive for a first feature,
competing at that top level of IndieCentra. Right
out of the gate. Incredible. And beyond Sundance,
he was named Best Director at the 2007 American
Indian Film Festival, AIFE. AIFE, okay. That
recognition seems important too. It's crucial.
AIFE is dedicated to celebrating authentic Native
representation. So winning there confirms his
standing within the Indigenous creative community.
While the Sundance nomination confirms his place
in the broader industry, he was hitting both.
And what's really interesting, you pointed this
out, is how his work immediately started boosting
the careers of his actors, too. Yeah, that's
a really key point for you listening. The film's
co -star, Tamara Podemsky, she won a special
jury prize for her performance at Sundance. Wow.
And then followed that up with a nomination for
Best Supporting Actress at the Independent Spirit
Awards in 2007. So it wasn't just about his vision,
it was about creating opportunities. Exactly.
It shows his authentic storytelling, his ability
to direct actors. It immediately translated into
mainstream recognition and, you know, real professional
opportunities for his indigenous collaborators.
He was building something bigger than just his
own career right from the very start. So the
foundation is really solid by this point. Sundance
backing, major fellowships, awards, launching
acting careers. And all of it anchored in Oklahoma.
He was setting a standard. And if Four Sheets
to the Wind kind of introduced that road trip
theme, his second feature, Barking Water, in
2009, well, it really deepened that whole idea.
Okay, so still on the road, but how did he change
it up? How did he raise the stakes? Barking Water
shifts the focus. It's a much more intense journey.
It's a final journey, really. It follows a dying
man and his former lover on a road trip across
Oklahoma. Another Oklahoma road trip. Yeah, but
with a very specific. destination and purpose
they need to get to we woke up to see his daughter
and granddaughter so it's not about finding yourself
after grief like the first film may be hinted
at this is about time running out exactly mortality
and again the location we woke up it's not just
some random town what's the significance the
sources explicitly note It's the capital of the
Seminole Nation. Ah, okay. So that grounding
in specific, culturally significant places is
always there. The physical journey across the
state, it becomes loaded with cultural meaning.
It's a return to the heart of the Seminole Nation
before death. And the reception. Did Sundance
embrace this one too? Yep. Premiered at Sundance
2009, keeping that streak going. And it was named
Best Drama Film at the 2009 American Indian Film
Festival. So again, consistent success on both
those important tracks. It shows a really smart
strategic balance he maintained. Okay, so after
two narrative features focused on these road
trips, he does something quite different in 2014.
A documentary, This May Be the Last Time. That
sounds intensely personal. Oh, it is. Deeply
personal. It's rooted right in his own family
history. The film's based on the true story,
still unresolved, of his grandfather who disappeared
back in 1962. Happened in the Seminole County
town of Sasakwa. You know, a family mystery like
that, it's a powerful hook for any documentary.
For sure. But the real insight here, for you
listening, might be how he used that personal
story to explore something much broader, right?
Specifically music. How did that work? Yeah,
this is where you really see his skill for like
cultural synthesis. The doc uses his grandfather's
disappearance as a jumping off point to explore
Creek Nation hymns. Okay, hymns. That's fascinating.
And what's really amazing is the detail it goes
into about the musical lineage. The film specifically
looks at how these traditional Creek hymns, they
have these melodic connections to, get this,
Scottish folk music. Scottish folk music, really?
Yeah, and blended with influences from American
gospel and even rock music. It shows that the
Creek musical tradition isn't some isolated thing.
It's actually this dynamic, evolving mix of global
influences, all filtered through their unique
cultural lens. That detail about the Scottish
folk link, that's brilliant. It shows he's not
just, you know, documenting tradition. analyzing
its complex history. Exactly. And that thoughtful
approach got noticed. After premiering at Sundance
in 2014, AMC Sundance Channel Global picked up
the distribution rights for the Sundance Channel.
So we've got significant global exposure. Okay,
so after that deep dive into family history and
music, he swings back to narrative features in
2015 with Mecco. But this one's different again,
right? The sources call it a thriller. Yeah,
a thriller. which is a really interesting shift
in tone and genre for him at that point. Why
do you think he made that move after these intimate
dramas in the doc? Well, I think it's both artistically
and strategically smart. By framing Mecco as
a thriller, he kind of sidesteps expectations.
You know, the indigenous drama label. Right.
The film's set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so he's still
committed to his location. But it specifically
focuses on the experiences of a Native American
homeless community there. And using the thriller
genre in that context, that must have a specific
purpose. It's not just for thrills. Oh, definitely
not. Genre films, especially thrillers, they
demand high stakes, a certain pace. They force
you, the viewer, to engage intensely. thriller
within this often marginalized community, Harjo
uses the genre's intensity to shine a really
bright, urgent light on the harsh realities of
native homelessness in a city. He's leveraging
the commercial hook of the genre to deliver some
powerful social commentary. Makes sense. Where
did METCO launch? It premiered at the Los Angeles
Film Festival in June 2015. So yeah, by this
point, he's shown real versatility across indie
dramas, documentary, and now genre filmmaking.
Yeah. Okay. So now we're moving into the period,
let's say, roughly between 2015 and 2020. And
this stage is actually really crucial. This is
where Harjo was kind of honing all these diverse
skills, comedy, journalism, directing shorts
that would feed directly into the huge television
success of Reservation Dogs. Right. People sometimes
skip over this period, but the work he did here
seems vital. He was juggling high -profile festival
stuff with really local media work. Exactly.
So on one hand, you have him directing short
films like Sepant Katsustasin in 2009. That was
part of something called the Embargo Collective
Project. The Embargo Collective. Yeah, it was
a collaborative effort specifically aimed at
boosting the presence and quality of indigenous
filmmaking. Harjo, being part of that, shows
his commitment to, you know, working with others
to nurture native talent and stories. And staying
connected to Tulsa, to Oklahoma, that remained
important. Absolutely vital. Kept him grounded
creatively. He was the staff video director for
this land press in Tulsa for a time. Okay. Directed
a whole series of shorts for them. That's practical,
boots on the ground production experience in
journalism, local storytelling, fast turnaround
stuff. And at the same time, he's getting recognized
internationally. Yeah, like serving on the shorts
competition jury for Sundance in 2010. Yeah.
So he's got a foot in both worlds. Yeah. The
local media trenches and the peak of the international
festival circuits. It's quite a balance. This
period also really - really highlights his comedy
chops, which might surprise people who only know
the earlier, heavier dramas. He's part of a pretty
influential comedy group. Yes. We absolutely
have to talk about the 1491s. Okay, tell us about
them. Arjo is one of the five founding members.
They're a Native American sketch comedy group.
And their work, it's just brilliant, sharp. observational,
often really subversive humor that tackles needed
stereotypes, contemporary life, everything. It's
smart and hilarious. In that collaborative comedy
environment, how formative was that? How did
the style of the 1491s influence what we eventually
saw in Reservation Dogs? Oh, the connection is
totally direct. The signature tone of Reservation
Dogs, that deadpan, realistic, often kind of
surreal humor about everyday life. Yeah. Mixing
these profound moments of grief or identity with
genuinely... funny, specific conversational dialogue.
That blend of high emotion and high comedy, that's
the DNA of the 1491s. Oh, okay. Working in that
group allowed him to really sharpen his comedic
timing, find those conversational rhythms that
make the Rezdog's characters feel so real and,
well, lovable. It taught him how to use humor
not just for laughs, but as a way to critique
culture and create genuine connection. And even
while flexing his comedy muscles, he kept up
the commitment to community news and journalism.
That's a rare combination. It really shows profound...
Sound dedication. He served as one of the directors
for the Cherokee Nation's monthly TV news magazine,
Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People. Wow. Think
about that range for a second. Respected indie
feature director, touring sketch comedian, and
directing for a tribal nation's news program.
That experience, capturing real life, delivering
information clearly, grounding stories in specific
community concerns, it made him uniquely equipped
for episodic TV. He could blend the realism of
journalism with the humor of the 1491s. And all
of that, that whole diverse foundation, it leads
directly into the television era, which kicks
off, of course, with the show that changed everything,
Reservation Dogs. Yeah, Reservation Dogs ran
2021 to 2023 on FX. This was a huge leap, right?
Co -created, co -written, executive produced
by Harjo, but also with Taika Waititi involved.
How important was that collaboration? Oh, it
was genius. Pairing Harjo's deep, specific, localized
knowledge and sensibility with Waititi's global
profile and proven comedic touch. Right. Waititi
had massive momentum then. Exactly. It gave the
project instant viability, commercial appeal,
while making sure the creative core stayed completely
authentic, rooted in Harjo's vision. And for
FX, a network known for betting on distinctive
voices, it was a major win. They gave them an
incredible amount of creative freedom. And the
recognition was immediate and huge. That moment
at the Film Independent Spirit Awards really
stands out. Yes. The 37th Spirit Awards. It won
Best New Scripted Series and Best Ensemble Cast
in a New Scripted Series. Big wins. But the real
impact went beyond the awards themselves, didn't
it? Absolutely. It marked a historical moment
that... frankly, needed to be celebrated loud
and clear. Can you recount that moment for us?
Because the quote itself really sums up the achievement.
Yeah, actor Devery Jacobs, accepting the Ensemble
Award, she gave this incredibly powerful statement.
She said something like, this prize is so much
bigger than ourselves. Each of us come from different
nations across Turtle Island who survived 500
years of colonization. Wow. And in the 100 years
of film and TV, Reservation Dogs now marks the
first project with all indigenous creators at
the helm. The first project with all Indigenous
creatives at the helm. I mean, just pause on
that. That is genuinely transformative for the
industry. It really is. It proved that authenticity,
that full creative control by Indigenous people,
it's not a risk or a niche concern. It's actually
the key ingredient for making critically acclaimed,
universally loved television. And the industry
responded. Peabody Award in 2021. Yep. Got the
Peabody. FX renewed it for season two almost
instantly. It confirmed the show was a hit critically
and commercially. It completely validated that
Harjo Atidi model of indigenous -led storytelling.
So the success of Res Dogs obviously catapulted
Harjo into this position of being a highly sought
-after showrunner, someone with the power to
get new projects made. Which brings us to his
second FX series, The Lowdown. Right. After Reservation
Dogs wrapped up its run, Harjo launched The Lowdown.
premiered in September 2025. And here he took
on even more creative control. Creator, writer,
director, executive producer. So this was Harjo
showing he could lead a major network series
solo post -YTD collaboration? Pretty much. Proving
he wasn't reliant on that initial partnership
to get a big show off the ground. And the casting
for The Lowdown really speaks volumes about his
status now, right? It absolutely does. The series
stars Ethan Hawke. Ethan Hawke. Okay, that's
major. Attracting an actor of Hawke's caliber
and reputation to a brand new FX series, right
on the heels of Rez Dogs. It just signals that
Harjo is now seen as a top -tier creator. An
auteur, really. Somewhat capable of delivering
prestige, high -quality TV. His name now carries
weight, guarantees artistic integrity and visibility.
It allows him to keep telling these unique Oklahoma
stories, but on the biggest possible stage. But
even with these massive TV shows, he's still
keeping connected to his roots in indie film
and music. He is, yeah. In 2023, he directed
a music video for the Turnpike Troubadours. They're
an Oklahoma country rock band. Ah, back to the
Oklahoma music scene. Exactly. It circles right
back to that deep connection we saw in his documentary,
This May Be the Last Time. And on the film front,
in 2024, he co -wrote the screenplay for Res
Ball. Okay, Res Ball. Yeah, a sports drama directed
by Sidney Freeland. Him co -writing that shows
he's actively collaborating with and supporting
other Indigenous creators, lending his expertise
to projects that continue exploring Native life,
specific Indigenous stories. He's still building
that ecosystem. It's just an incredible trajectory,
isn't it? From those early Sundance films all
the way to leading multiple... major FX series.
The recognition he's received It feels like a
fitting summary of a career built on insight
and a deep sense of place. Yeah, the recognition
is layered. It starts, importantly, within his
home community. Yeah. Back in 2011, he got the
Tildman Award from the Oklahoma Film Critics
Circle. Okay, local critics recognizing his focus
early on. Right, showing they understood and
valued his dedication to telling Oklahoma stories.
A couple of years later, 2013, the Tulsa Library
Trust gave him their American Indian Writers
Award. Those early local honors feel really significant.
They are. They show that the communities he was
portraying, they were the first ones to really
validate his work before the national and international
awards started rolling in. And those bigger awards,
they are truly staggering, especially for someone
who broke through with such a specific, uncompromising
focus. Absolutely. We mentioned the Peabody for
reservation dogs in 2021, but the real pinnacle.
The definitive acknowledgement of his entire
creative contribution came in 2024. The MacArthur
Fellowship. The so -called genius grant. That's
the one. Harjo was named a MacArthur Fellow in
2024. And here's the detail you really need to
remember. The sources are explicit that he was
the only filmmaker chosen for that honor in that
specific year. The only filmmaker. Wow. Yeah.
The fellowship recognizes, quote, Exceptional
creativity and a pronounced capacity for self
-direction. It's about a lifetime of contribution.
That selection just underlines the profound,
lasting impact of his work and his absolutely
singular vision in redefining what American storytelling
can look like, centered squarely in Oklahoma.
It's such a powerful arc. From being an OU art
student determined to capture seminal and Muscovy
life in indie films to becoming this national
creative leader holding one of the most prestigious
arts awards in the entire country. Harjo's career.
just demonstrates so clearly that authentic,
localized specificity that's maybe the strongest
tool a storyteller has. He took the specific
roads, the family stuff, the music, the humor
of Oklahoma, and showed the world these stories
are universal, compelling, and frankly, urgently
needed. He didn't water down his vision for Hollywood.
He made Hollywood recognize his vision. That
really sums it up perfectly, that deep commitment.
So we've seen how he used those cultural roots
to create a genuine historical landmark with
Reservation Dogs, the first truly indigenous
-led show. Right. And then immediately followed
it with another high -profile series, The Lowdown,
pulling in major star power. His career is like
a roadmap, really, showing how deeply specific,
geographically rooted storytelling can actually
achieve global impact. Okay, so that leads us
perfectly into our final thought for you, the
listener, to mull over. Harjo has proven he can
turn pretty much any corner of Oklahoma culture
into groundbreaking TV. We know he's committed
to the place, and now he clearly commands significant
resources. Just look at casting Ethan Hawke.
So thinking about that, what unique, maybe untold
aspects of his cultural world? Could it be different
musical traditions? Maybe specific urban indigenous
experiences beyond what Mecco touched on? Or
perhaps a really deep dive into the... modern
day politics or history of the Seminole Nation,
what might become the setting for his next groundbreaking
series? What stories are still out there in Oklahoma
waiting for Sterling Harjo's unique lens?