# Wind River

> 2017 film directed by Taylor Sheridan

**Wikidata**: [Q25339940](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25339940)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_River_(film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wind-river

## Summary
Wind River is a 2017 American crime thriller film directed by Taylor Sheridan. The film follows a wildlife officer and an FBI agent investigating a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

## Key Facts
- Directed by Taylor Sheridan, who also wrote the screenplay
- Released on August 4, 2017, in the United States
- Genre: Crime thriller, mystery, Western
- Production companies: Thunder Road Pictures, Voltage Pictures, Wild Bunch, Acacia Filmed Entertainment
- Budget: $11 million
- Box office gross: $43.9 million
- Runtime: 107 minutes
- Rated R for strong violence, a rape, disturbing images, and language
- Filmed on location in Utah, standing in for Wyoming
- Stars Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, and Gil Birmingham
- Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Writers Guild of America Awards

## FAQs
**What is the plot of Wind River?**
The film centers on Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), a wildlife officer who discovers the body of a young Native American woman on the Wind River Indian Reservation. FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is sent to investigate, and she enlists Lambert's help navigating the harsh winter conditions and complex tribal dynamics to solve the murder.

**Who are the main cast members?**
Jeremy Renner stars as Cory Lambert, Elizabeth Olsen plays FBI agent Jane Banner, and Gil Birmingham portrays Martin Hanson, the victim's father. The supporting cast includes Graham Greene as Ben, a tribal police chief, and Julia Jones as Wilma Lambert.

**Where was Wind River filmed?**
Although set in Wyoming, the film was primarily shot in Park City and the surrounding areas of Utah. The production took advantage of Utah's snowy landscapes and mountainous terrain to create the film's stark, winter setting.

**What awards and nominations did Wind River receive?**
The film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Writers Guild of America Awards. It also received critical acclaim for its direction, performances, and cinematography, though it did not receive any major Academy Award nominations.

**What is the significance of the Wind River Indian Reservation setting?**
The Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming is the seventh-largest reservation in the United States and has a complex history of jurisdictional issues between tribal, state, and federal authorities. The film uses this setting to highlight the challenges faced by Native American communities, particularly regarding law enforcement and missing persons cases.

## Why It Matters
Wind River matters as a compelling crime thriller that brings attention to the often-overlooked issue of violence against Native American women. The film's setting on the Wind River Indian Reservation provides a stark backdrop for exploring themes of grief, justice, and cultural conflict. Taylor Sheridan's screenplay, informed by his experience writing Sicario and Hell or High Water, delivers a tense narrative that balances procedural elements with character-driven drama. The film's success demonstrates the commercial viability of socially conscious thrillers and has contributed to increased awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) cases in the United States.

## Notable For
- Taylor Sheridan's directorial debut, following his success as a screenwriter
- Authentic portrayal of Native American issues and reservation life
- Stunning cinematography capturing the harsh beauty of winter landscapes
- Strong performances from Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen
- Addressing the real-world crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women
- Blending crime thriller elements with Western genre conventions
- Filming on location in Utah to create an authentic Wyoming setting
- Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Writers Guild of America Awards

## Body

### Production and Development
Wind River was written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, marking his directorial debut after establishing himself as a screenwriter with Sicario (2015) and Hell or High Water (2016). The film was produced by Basil Iwanyk through Thunder Road Pictures, along with Peter Berg, Matthew George, and Wayne Rogers. Voltage Pictures and Wild Bunch also served as production companies, with Acacia Filmed Entertainment providing additional support.

The project was developed with a modest budget of $11 million, allowing for an efficient production schedule. Filming took place primarily in Utah, with locations in Park City and surrounding areas standing in for the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The production took advantage of Utah's winter conditions to create the film's bleak, snow-covered landscape.

### Cast and Characters
Jeremy Renner stars as Cory Lambert, a veteran wildlife officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Renner's character is a skilled tracker who becomes involved in the murder investigation due to his knowledge of the terrain and local community. Elizabeth Olsen plays Jane Banner, a rookie FBI agent from Las Vegas who is unprepared for the harsh Wyoming winter and complex tribal dynamics she encounters.

Gil Birmingham portrays Martin Hanson, the grieving father of the murder victim. Birmingham, who is of Comanche heritage, brings authenticity to the role of a Native American parent dealing with tragedy. Graham Greene appears as Ben, the tribal police chief who assists with the investigation, while Julia Jones plays Wilma Lambert, Cory's ex-wife.

### Setting and Themes
The film is set on the Wind River Indian Reservation, a 2.2 million-acre reservation in central Wyoming that is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. The reservation's complex jurisdictional landscape, where tribal, state, and federal authorities often overlap, provides a backdrop for exploring themes of justice, sovereignty, and cultural conflict.

Wind River addresses the real-world issue of violence against Native American women, particularly the high rates of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) in the United States. The film highlights the challenges faced by tribal communities in obtaining justice and the systemic issues that contribute to these crimes going unsolved.

### Critical Reception and Impact
Upon its release, Wind River received positive reviews from critics, who praised Sheridan's direction, the performances of the cast, and the film's atmospheric cinematography. The movie holds a 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 218 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The critical consensus states: "Grimly poignant and refreshingly earnest, Wind River pairs weighty themes with engaging filmmaking to produce a grimly absorbing murder mystery."

The film's success helped establish Taylor Sheridan as a director to watch, leading to his subsequent work on films like Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) and the TV series Yellowstone. Wind River has also contributed to increased awareness of the MMIW crisis, with Sheridan using the film's platform to draw attention to this ongoing issue.

### Technical Aspects
Ben Richardson served as the cinematographer for Wind River, capturing the stark beauty of the winter landscape with wide shots that emphasize the isolation and harshness of the environment. The film's visual style complements its themes of loneliness and survival in a unforgiving landscape.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis composed the film's score, creating an atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the tension and emotional weight of the story. Their music incorporates elements of traditional Native American instrumentation alongside more conventional orchestral arrangements.

### Release and Distribution
Wind River premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017, where it received positive reviews and generated significant buzz. The film was subsequently acquired by The Weinstein Company for distribution, though its release was affected by the company's collapse in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

The film was eventually released in the United States on August 4, 2017, in a limited theatrical run before expanding to a wider release. It grossed $33.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $10.1 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $43.9 million against its $11 million budget.

### Cultural Significance
Wind River stands out in the crime thriller genre for its authentic portrayal of Native American issues and its willingness to address systemic problems within tribal communities. The film's setting and themes provide a window into a world that is often overlooked in mainstream American cinema, offering viewers a glimpse into the challenges faced by indigenous populations in the modern United States.

The movie's success has helped pave the way for more diverse storytelling in the thriller genre, demonstrating that films addressing social issues can also be commercially successful. Wind River's impact extends beyond its entertainment value, contributing to important conversations about justice, sovereignty, and the ongoing struggles of Native American communities.

## References

1. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. Letterboxd
4. The Movie Database
5. MusicBrainz
6. Wind River. Rotten Tomatoes
7. [Source](https://www.filmdienst.de/film/details/550724/wind-river)
8. [Terjesztésre kerülő filmalkotások és artfilmek nyilvántartása](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
9. [Wind River (2017): Release Info. IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5362988/releaseinfo)
10. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
11. BBC Things
12. [Wind River (2017): Technical Specifications. IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5362988/technical)
13. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2801829377/)
14. Entertainment Identifier Registry
15. [Source](http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?id=26&i=272087)
16. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
17. [Source](http://www.cnc.fr/web/fr/rechercher-une-oeuvre/-/visa/147203)
18. [Source](http://justica.gov.br/noticias/classificacao-indicativa-divulga-a-lista-de-filmes-que-entram-em-cartaz-nos-cinemas.1)
19. Brazilian Advisory Rating System
20. [Source](http://fpbquery.fpb.org.za/erms/film_details.aspx?ref=79643)
21. Bechdel Test Movie List
22. Danish Film Database
23. TheTVDB
24. Trakt.tv
25. FilmVandaag.nl