Mekko gets out of prison after 19 years. He has no home or family so he makes his way to Tulsa. He tries to connect with a cousin but she turns him away. With nowhere to go Mekko ends up sleeping on the streets. He is taken in by the homeless native community. At times jovial, there is a dark undercurrent to the community. He begins having issues with a man named Bill. Bill is pure evil. Convinced that this man is a witch, Mekko turns to the old teachings of his grandmother in order to rid the community of this 'witch'. It's a story of redemption, and hope. Mekko is in search of his home and the strength to forgive himself of his past.
Acting
Rod Rondeaux's silent suffering speaks volumes.
Direction
Sterlin Harjo builds dread through community, not jump scares.
Writing
Witchcraft as metaphor hits devastatingly close.
Director
Sterlin Harjo
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sterlin Harjo is Seminole-Muscogee and shot this in his hometown Tulsa, casting largely from the local Native community. The 'witch' belief stems from actual Muscogee folklore.
Harjo deliberately avoids explaining Mekko's crime — the film trusts audiences to understand that 19 years means punishment without needing spectacle.
US
