She Cried That Day
Director: Amanda Erickson
Crew:Cinematographer: Emily Kinskey. Editor: Kristen Swanbeck. Producers: Amanda Erickson, Stina Thomas Hamlin, Tracy Rector. Executive Producer for Vision Maker Media: Francine Blythe-Lewis. Executive Producer: Tracy Rector. Original Score by: Kristina James, Greg Yazzie.
Email:amanda@seesclearlyproductions.com
Synopsis
She Cried That Day is the story of a sister's love and the spirit, strength and will of Indigenous Women refusing to let their loved ones remain invisible in the eyes of the justice system.
Trailer
About the director
Amanda Erickson is born for the San Carlos Apache of the White Water Clan. She is an unscripted storyteller committed to centering Indigenous voices and untold truths. Her journey of cultural reconnection and community healing inspired her directorial debut, She Cried That Day, a powerful and deeply personal exploration of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) crisis through the eyes of Indigenous Women and Allies on the frontlines in New Mexico.
Before stepping into the director's chair, Amanda spent 16 years as a producer creating impactful content for networks including Travel Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Discovery+, Hulu and CuriosityStream. Her transition into independent documentary filmmaking is driven by a mission to bring fresh perspectives, nuanced representation, and urgent issues from Native communities to mainstream audiences.
Filmmaker's note
Growing up outside of community, I longed to understand what it meant to be Apache. It wasn’t until I was able to reconnect with my father that the missing pieces of myself returned. But everything changed the day he brought me to my first Sunrise Ceremony. As we were approaching, I could hear the beating of the drums, a rhythmic pounding that echoed in my heart, pulling me closer. Suddenly I was standing beside hundreds of relatives praying, dancing and singing. My father leaned down and whispered, "You are home."
That moment was transformative. I left the ceremony in awe of the power and strength I had witnessed and feeling the weight of responsibility to the long line of ancestors walking behind me. It was during this time; I began to hear about the unreported cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives. That awakening led me on a six-year journey of listening and working with those that had been doing the work in community for so long. Their strength reminded me of what I felt that day at the Sunrise Ceremony, a resilience, unity and purpose.