‘Pow!’ May Be Quite Simple in Story, but Has Grand Authenticity In Its Animation

Courtesy of Joey Clift

Jake is one of the main characters in director Joey Clift’s animated short called Pow!, and certainly a character I think we can all see ourselves in - to some extent. The relatable quality doesn’t have anything to do with the messy bun or randomly put together hoodie and basketball short combo he’s donning, but more so the aversion toward the social event that he’s involuntarily being dragged into by his parents. Being the child of two people who came from different Tribes, he would much rather play with his handheld video game than enjoy the festivities found in the intertribal powwow that they’ve all come to.

While I am not of Native American descent, I can honestly say that there were plenty of times where I’d much rather be in a digital world than a real one. Jake has one problem though. His video game escape is about to die from a depleting battery. In just about eight minutes - and through Jake’s desperate search for a working power outlet as well - the viewer goes on a similar adventure. If you’re not mesmerized by the fluid and colorful powwow dances dispersed throughout - three different animation styles are showcased that not only help to further the story along but each one also personally connects to different characters who are featured.

In a world where on-screen design is usually curated for the oohs and ahhs these days and nothing more, I truly found a new appreciation for what I was seeing in Pow! after learning about the various artwork attachments. When the family initially approaches the venue, Jake’s perspective comes in through the form of 16-bit pixel art to reflect his love of video games (Earthbound fans may find this to be a real treat, I know I did). Once they’re inside, 2D art (with lighter colors) fills the space that mirrors the mother and father’s euphoric fondness of the culture. While Jake’s sequence is more grounded - in the sense of having time to stand on its own, his parents’ optimistic visual representation seems to be overshadowed by what Jake’s grandmother has to offer. In this case, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Being Italian, I had no idea about the historical context behind the style used for her flashback. But after watching, this was the most fascinating part of Pow! for me (and I’m sure the audience as well). There is much more to Grandma than meets the eye. After his recharging rescue mission comes to a close, she agrees that all of this is overwhelming and the short takes a deep dive into her past. Between showing actual Ledger Art (which is art created by Plains Natives on the many discarded ledgers left over by the US Army in the reserves), spotlighting the Cherokee syllabary and infusing important, real-life Native activism events into the grandmother’s own past is all both inspiring and heartbreaking.

The incorporation of audio recordings from the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests shows how far Clift goes in order to bring awareness to Native history. She helps Jake realize that even though he might not fully understand why he is where he is (neither does she for that matter), it’s important to celebrate his culture when he can. Almost every ingredient in this short has a meaningful connection to real life and Pow! also somehow manages to intertwine the contemporary Native experience across generations. Even under eight minutes (without counting the end credits), this wondrous peek into Jake’s life is both massively entertaining and surprisingly raw. Clift and the rest of the crew that made this possible are not afraid to shed the cartoony layer when they need to in order to bring a truthful sense of the picture forward to viewers.

I will give Pow! a 5 out of 5.

Not only was Pow! was screened at various film festivals this year including the Māoriland Film Festival in New Zealand as well the Brooklyn Film Festival, but the short just won the “Best Animated Short” award at the Nevada City Film Festival as well. The makers of Pow! are also seeking wider distribution.

Follow Joey Clift on Instagram @joeycliiiiiift for information on future screenings.