Missoula Producer Brings Montana-Made Documentary to International Film Festivals
Laminar Flow Films' "Are You Native?" Premieres at Seattle International Film Festival, Screens at Mountainfilm, and Heads to imagineNATIVE
MISSOULA, Mont. — A documentary produced by Missoula-based filmmaker and entrepreneur Erin Brender is gaining momentum on the international festival circuit, bringing a Montana story to audiences across North America.
Are You Native?, directed by Victoria Cheyenne (Aymara) and produced by Brender through her company Laminar Flow Films, recently celebrated its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival before screening at Mountainfilm in Telluride, Colorado, where it received a standing ovation from audiences. The film will next travel to Toronto for the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the world's largest presenter of Indigenous screen content.
The documentary follows the story of Shauna White Bear (MHA Nation, Arikara, Hidatsa), exploring her Native identity, grief, and how she has found healing in her work as a moccasin-maker. Her business White Bear Moccasins is based in Bozeman, MT. In 2024, the film received the Big Sky Film Grant from the Montana Department of Commerce which allowed production on the project to begin.
For Brender, founder of Laminar Flow Films, the project reflects her commitment to supporting creative voices to tell their own stories.
"I met Shauna White Bear while working on a Montana ad, and was drawn to her presence as an artist and fellow entrepreneur," said Brender. "As soon as she talked with me, I knew I wanted to use my experience and connections to help her tell her story, even though I didn't yet know the intricacies of it. As the film developed, the themes of identity and grief resonated even more deeply with me."
(L to R: Shauna White Bear, Victoria Cheyenne, Erin Brender) Photo by Melissa Plantz. Courtesy of Mountainfilm.
After living in Montana since 2014, Brender founded Laminar Flow Films in 2021 in Missoula, focusing on projects centered around connection, the outdoors, and aviation. A licensed private pilot, Brender drew the company's name from the aerodynamics concept of laminar flow - the smooth, streamlined movement of air over the surface of a laminar wing.
"Laminar Flow Films focuses on meaningful projects about connection, the outdoors, and aviation," Brender said. "The name itself reflects the smooth, collaborative process I aim for in all my work. Are You Native? came together in that same spirit: a project with deeper meaning, and a team that flowed well together."
The company has steadily built a reputation for producing thoughtful, visually-compelling work rooted in authentic human stories. Director Victoria Cheyenne reflects on the collaborative process with Brender as “one of the best experiences [she’s] ever had working with a producer.”
“Erin’s artful tact of balancing production management, communication, and emotional understanding truly blew me away. There are many documentary producers who aren’t thinking about the holistic elements of handling delicate emotions in film but Erin has brought mindfulness into every dialogue.”
Erin Brender receives a blanket honoring from Shauna White Bear and Victoria Cheyenne alongside Tracy Rector.. (Photo by Matt Roberts)
During Mountainfilm, Cheyenne and White Bear surprised Brender with a blanket honoring to express their gratitude for all her work. After the screenings, Laminar Flow Films celebrated narrative sovereignty and Indigenous voices by hosting a celebratory soirée and a Frybread Brunch, creating space for reciprocal community-building among Indigenous artists and industry professionals attending the festival.
Brender credits the success of the project to the collaborative effort between White Bear, director Victoria Cheyenne.
"I'm proud I said 'yes, let's do this' at the start, even without knowing exactly how the documentary would unfold," Brender said. "In over two years of production we faced inevitable challenges, and I'm grateful for our patience and perseverance. It’s an honor to have been able to provide the production framework that allowed Victoria to shape Shauna's story. She's created a moving, beautiful film that we're excited to share."
As Are You Native? continues its festival run, Brender hopes the film's growing recognition will shine a light on the caliber of filmmaking emerging from Montana and the stories being developed by independent creators across the region.
About Laminar Flow Films
Founded in Missoula, Montana, in 2021 by producer Erin Brender, Laminar Flow Films develops and produces documentary and commercial projects focused on connection, the outdoors, aviation, and stories that foster understanding across communities. The company is committed to collaborative filmmaking and creating work with lasting impact.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Erin Brender
Producer, Laminar Flow Films
laminarflowfilms@mail.com
