March 27, 2025: Academy Award-winning actor and producer Leonardo DiCaprio has partnered with filmmaker Shannon Kring for a powerful documentary titled Nine Little Indians, which uncovers the tragic story of abuse at a US boarding school for Native American children.
The documentary, currently in post-production, focuses on the nearly two-decade-long legal battle of the Charbonneau sisters and their schoolmates, who endured years of abuse at St. Paul’s Indian Mission School in South Dakota. The film follows their fight to hold the Catholic Church accountable for the horrific crimes inflicted upon them during their time at the institution.
Produced by DiCaprio’s production company, Appian Way, alongside Red Queen Media and Terra Mater Studios, the film will highlight not only the trauma faced by the victims but also the legal challenges they encountered in their quest for justice. The documentary features interviews with two former nuns at the school and the abbot who oversaw the priests involved in the alleged rape and murder cases.
Kring, known for her previous work End Of The Line: The Women Of Standing Rock, first became involved in the project in 2016 after tribal members invited her to document the discovery of skeletal remains of missing children at the school. The film aims to expose the dark legacy of American Indian boarding schools, institutions set up to forcibly assimilate Native American children into Anglo-American culture—often with devastating and deadly consequences.
The documentary will explore the systemic abuse and neglect at these schools, shedding light on a long-hidden chapter of American history. Author and public speaker Tony Robbins has also joined the project as an executive producer, alongside DiCaprio and other prominent producers.
“We are delighted to partner with Tony Robbins and Shannon Kring on this profound film, which sheds light on the egregious crimes that took place at St. Paul’s Indian Mission School,” said Jennifer Davisson, President of Production at Appian Way.
Kring emphasized the significance of the project, stating, “It is time that we as a nation atone for this horror of the not-so-distant past.”
Robbins added, “I hope that Nine Little Indians inspires you as much as the St. Paul’s Indian Mission School survivors have inspired me.”
With its powerful message and commitment to justice, Nine Little Indians is poised to make a lasting impact, ensuring that the survivors’ voices are heard and their stories are not forgotten.