Producer Profile: Julianna Brannum (2010)

by Ben Kreimer

Julianna Brannum (Comanche) is a veteran in the world of Native American documentary filmmaking. With two NAPT Producer Profile interviews already to her name, Brannum is back with her latest production, LaDonna Harris: Indian 101, a film exploring the life and achievements of one of Native America’s most influential female activists.

“LaDonna Harris is a very important and powerful figure in American Indian history both past and present,” says Brannum. Harris’ work representing Native Americans in American politics began back in the 1960s with her marriage to Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris. A Comanche from Oklahoma, LaDonna Harris helped convince the Nixon administration to return sacred ground to the Taos Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and in 1970 founded the Americans for Indian Opportunity, a grassroots organization designed to teach and aid in the development of leaders knowledgeable about issues affecting indigenous peoples today. In 1980 Harris was a vice presidential nominee.    

Despite the significant efforts and accomplishments of Harris, her work is unknown to many natives and non-natives. “I hope my film will help people understand the importance of what she’s doing now, which is shaping the way emerging indigenous leaders work and think,” states Brannum. 

Brannum herself was unaware of the magnitude of work Harris was doing in Washington, despite the two being relatives. “I wasn’t close to her growing up,” recalls Brannum, “I didn’t know the extent of her importance until I watched an old rerun of The Dick Cavett Show and saw my Aunt LaDonna and Uncle Fred Harris on screen.”

Brannum is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, and was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award for the College of Arts and Sciences. She moved to Los Angeles in 1996 to begin her documentary film career.

LaDonna Harris:Indian 101 is Brannum’s third documentary production.  Prior to this, she co-produced the Wounded Knee episode of the We Shall Remain PBS series. Both projects covered Native American issues from the 1960s and 1970s — a time period of great interest to her. For her next film, she is considering a Native themed contemporary subject that is more personal than her last two productions.