The producer of a soon-to-be-made film about iconic Ponca Tribe legend Chief Standing Bear says the loss of a $400,000 state grant was not optimal, but will not affect the film’s production.
Andrew Troy, president of Troy Entertainment, said the revocation of the six-figure grant from the State of Nebraska Film Office was a surprise to him and the film’s producers.
Troy’s company will produce “I am a Man: The True Story of Ponca Chief Standing Bear” and Troy will direct the movie. Filming is expected to span a 35-day period in Fremont and other areas in Dodge County. Troy said the start of filming in Fremont and Dodge County has not been determined yet.
“After hearing our testimony, the Appropriations Committee originally passed this $1 million appropriation with the expectation of supporting this historically significant Nebraska story about Chief Standing Bear,” Troy stated in an email. “We were initially surprised the NFO decided to reallocate the majority of these funds toward two other completely non-related films.”
People are also reading…
Kate Ellingson, director of marketing and public relations for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, said Troy can reapply for the funds.
“’I Am A Man’ was unable to commence principal photography by the date indicated in their award agreement, even after DED made two amendments to the agreement to postpone the principal photography start date,” Ellingson stated in an email to the Tribune. “This necessitated the contract being terminated. DED has reopened the Nebraska Film Office Grant Program, and ‘I Am a Man’ is welcome to apply again.”
Troy explained that the, “remaining $400,000 balance was awarded to us, but the ‘grant’ was rewritten to look more like a very rigid ‘tax rebate’ and as a result has not allowed us to collect these funds to date.”
“Surprisingly, after reading a recent news article about our film, the Nebraska filmmakers who were awarded the other portion of the NFO Award informed us that, to date, despite the fact that their film was completed long ago, they are still struggling to collect the needed NFO Award funds,” Troy said. “Regardless of the NFO’s decision on our film, we plan to re-apply or find another solution with (the Nebraska Department of Economic Development). We’re aware of the recent shake-up at DED and thus are patiently awaiting an opportunity to move things along within DED.”
The film is based on an award-winning historical book by renowned University of Nebraska journalism professor Joe Starita, who has written several other books on indigenous Native American people who broke significant rights and cultural barriers with their achievements, many of which are unknown to most Americans.
In 2019, Troy, signed to produce the epic historical drama.
In a December interview with the Tribune, Starita said the account begins when Chief Standing Bear and more than 200 Ponca tribal citizens were forcibly removed from their “beloved ancestral lands in Northern Nebraska.”
Chief Standing Bear’s son died, and in the trek back to his ancestral homelands in Nebraska to bury his son, he was eventually arrested by soldiers in Omaha, placed on trial and eventually acquitted after an inspirational speech during which he said, “I am a man,” in seeking equal rights for indigenous native peoples.
Troy said in his email that financial support from Nebraska lawmakers has been vital to the film’s future, and he is thankful for the support of many stakeholders and others.
“This obstacle certainly delayed us and was a major factor in our decision to go back to the Legislature to build support for LB-1228. As a result, we are more than overjoyed to have been awarded the $5 million-dollar Chief Standing Bear Grant,” Troy explained. “Additionally, with the help of Stacy Heatherly, we’ve developed new opportunities in the City of Fremont via Mayor Spellerberg and the City Council who recently awarded us with Dodge County production incentives. Furthermore, the Cherokee Nation Film Office awarded us production incentives for filming within Cherokee Nation lands in Oklahoma.”
On Monday, April 10, Troy announced he will be working with famed Irish playwright and director Jim Sheridan to co-write, direct and produce the film.
In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Troy touted the agreement with Sheridan, whose work includes “My Left Foot,” “In the Name of the Father” and “In America.” Sheridan’s films have garnered numerous Oscar nominations, international recognitions and led to Academy Awards for actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker.
“With Jim Sheridan and Bart Daly coming onboard and since solidifying our deal, Jim and I have been working together on new ideas that we are currently incorporating into the script,” Troy said. “We’ll set a new start-date once our current work is completed.”
Once production does begin locally, an estimated more than $885,000 is expected to be spent locally by the film’s production company. An estimated 117 film staff and crew are planned for the local efforts, with at least 20 staff expected to be Fremont of Dodge County residents.
- Cindy Gonzalez of the Omaha World-Herald contributed to this article.
