Tony Tost’s directorial debut Americana (formerly titled National Anthem) will make its world premiere at the upcoming SXSW, Deadline has reported. The movie is looking at a March 17 premiere at the Paramount Theatre in the Narrative Spotlight section. The dark comedic crime thriller follows a rag-tag group of heroes and villains in pursuit of a legendary Native American artifact, the treasured Lakota Native American Ghost Shirt, which ties into the complicated history of the American West. The artifact was made famous for its role in the Battle of Wounded Knee, as the Lakota tribe thought that by wearing the Ghost shirts, they would be unaffected by bullets shot by white settlers. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as thought and hundreds of Lakota warriors were slaughtered during the battle.
The film focuses on the motives of these seekers of the legendary shirt. whether it’s for wealth, personal gain, or the desire to bring it back to where it belongs. Speaking of his excitement about the project Tost previously said, “I’m especially thrilled to be bringing to the screen a vision of modern rural America that pays tribute to the myths of the West while also radically reinventing them.” Native American activist Marcus RedThunder, who previously consulted on projects like Longmire and Hostiles, served as a consultant on the film, which was shot on location with the support of the New Mexico Film Office.
The Cast and Crew Behind Americana
The movie has an ensemble star cast that features the likes of Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, Gavin Maddox Bergman, Simon Rex, Derek Hinkey, Toby Huss, and Harriet Sansom Harris. The feature marks the acting debut of Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Hasley. The detailed crafts work in the movie is done by some well-known names in the industry like cinematographer Nigel Bluck (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), production designer Russell Barnes (Captain Fantastic), costume designer Jillian Bundrick (Reservation Dogs), editor Peter McNulty (Hotel Mumbai), and composer David Fleming (The Last of Us). Tost directs from a script he wrote.
Alex Saks produced the movie for Page Fifty-Four Pictures alongside Aaron L. Gilbert for Bron Studios. Creative Wealth Media also produces with their own Jason Cloth as executive producer.
Americana will debut on the big screen at SXSW on March 17. Check out our interview with Sweeney below: