Prismatic Ground is an annual festival in New York City centered on experimental documentary and avant-garde film. The festival’s Year Six Program presents Karthik Pandian‘s (2022 Creative Capital Awardee) Surrendur.

Karthik Pandian, 2026,  87min

A mandala for falling monuments, for falling into relation, for opening the heart to the frequency of love in revolt. Surrendur transmits the stories of Mike Forcia (Bad River Anishinaabe), the American Indian Movement activist who orchestrated the toppling of a monument to Christopher Columbus, and Ta Pe’juta Wičháȟpi Win (Hunkpati Dakota Oyate), whose political consciousness was awoken when she danced around the fallen statue with her daughter. Energies of the George Floyd Uprising, Anishinaabe Seven Fires Prophecy, and Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride are conducted through director Karthik Pandian’s unique style of editing nonsynchronous 16mm film and sound. Oscillating between intimate conversation and kinetic montage, Surrendur traces the riverine network of migration and homecoming, chance encounter and carefully cultivated collaboration that drew Pandian into deep relation with Forcia, Win, and other luminous activists and artists from Minneapolis, the heart of revolt at the center of Turtle Island. —Karthik Pandian