Johnny Greyeyes

REVIEW
An independent Canadian drama about the life of a fiercely strong Native American woman who combats authoritative abuse, imprisonment, homophobia and racial prejudice. Raven-haired Johnny is about to be released from a long prison sentence – during which time she’s developed a wonderfully close love affair with Lana (Columpa C. Bobb). But faced with release, her mind becomes flooded with images: of her family life before her arrest, of Lana’s bitter sense of abandonment, of her own difficulty in leaving behind her soul mate, of her family’s uncertain reaction to her return, and of the future that awaits her outside the gates. Gail Maurice delivers a striking performance as the spiritual, caring but hurt Johnny, a woman who refuses to break under the pressures of life. A groundbreaking film and the first to offer a story involving Canadian Native American (First Nation) women loving each other.

The first feature film focusing on Native lesbians, Johnny Greyeyes is a deeply humanizing portrait of life behind bars. "Standout performance" - Variety