Oct. 6, 2025 — Discover Bigfoot through the eyes of Indigenous peoples of the Nch’i-Wána, or Columbia River, in “Guardian of the Land,” a new Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) production premiering Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Bend Film Festival. Additional public screenings of the short film, including at the Santa Fe International Film Festival and in Portland, are planned for later this fall.

Since long before Bigfoot, also known as “Sasquatch,” became a mainstream pop culture icon, Indigenous peoples have viewed the mythical creature as a revered relative. They see Bigfoot not as a monster but as a protector – a spiritual being who teaches humans to respect and care for the land. In “Guardian of the Land,” Emmy-nominated director LaRonn Katchia (Warm Springs/Wasco/Paiute) weaves oral histories about Bigfoot sightings and stories through the work of four leading contemporary Indigenous artists and thought leaders.

The 24-minute film, an “Oregon Experience” production, features world-champion jingle dancer Acosia Red Elk (Umatilla People), artist Toma Villa (Yakama Nation), tribal council member Carlos Calica (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs), and anthropologist Phillip Cash Cash, Ph.D. (Nez Perce, Cayuse). Through striking visuals and sound, they take viewers on a sensory journey through the Nch’i-Wána lands, where Indigenous cultures believe Bigfoot has long cast a watchful eye over them.

A vision of Bigfoot shaped by Indigenous oral histories

The project grew out of the “Sensing Sasquatch” exhibit at the Oregon High Desert Museum in Bend, which featured Indigenous artists from the Pacific Northwest. Among Indigenous peoples, Sasquatch is many things at once, never bound by a single idea, form or definition. The word “Sasquatch” comes from the Sts’ailes in British Columbia, who – along with other West Coast First Nations – have passed down imaginative stories and teachings about Sasquatch for generations.

“Bigfoot is a relative that reminds us of our responsibility to take care of the land. We need to take care of our fish. We need to take care of our huckleberries. We need to take care of our First Foods – and take only what we need,” Katchia shared. “The film is fundamentally a reminder – a millennia-old teaching connected to an idea that still holds deep resonance for Indigenous communities.”

Creative team

“Guardian of the Land” was produced by OPB and made possible by the generosity of OPB members. The creative team includes:

• Executive producer: Arya Surowidjojo (OPB)
• Director: LaRonn Katchia (Warm Springs/Wasco/Paiute tribes)
• Editor: Cameron Nielsen
• Cinematographers: Cameron Nielsen, Jessie Sears (Karuk Tribe), Kunu Bearchum (Northern Cheyenne and Ho-Chunk Nation), LaRonn Katchia
• Production audio: Daniel Smith (Comanche), Betty Alcaraz
• Music: Geneviève Gros-Louis Salamone (​​Huron-Wendat Nation)

How to watch

“Guardian of the Land” will be available to stream on OPB’s website, YouTube and other video-streaming platforms starting Thursday, Oct. 23. It will be available on the PBS app starting Monday, Oct. 27.

Public screenings: Ticket and event information

• Sunday, Oct. 12: “Guardian of the Land” will premiere at the Madras Performing Arts Center, as part of the Bend Film Festival. A panel discussion with Katchia and featured tribal members will follow, with a special performance from Acosia Red Elk. Reserve tickets at opb.org/bendfilm.
• Saturday, Oct. 18: Santa Fe International Film Festival. Learn more and purchase tickets at https://santafe.film/.
• Saturday, Oct. 25: The Redd in Portland. Learn more and reserve tickets at opb.org/events.
• Monday, Nov. 10: McMenamins Mission Theater in Portland. Learn more and reserve tickets at opb.org/events.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/pressroom/in-opbs-guardian-of-the-land-indigenous-perspectives-reshape-bigfoots-image/