Between Montana and North Dakota lies the rugged terrain the native Lakota call “Mako shika” or “bad land,” a place of opportunity and hardship in equal measure. Now the oil development boom stemming from the exploitation of gas held deep in the Bakken shale transforms the region, bringing about an explosion of wealth for some which, set against a history of economic turmoil, looks increasingly unsustainable. Makoshika presents a vivid portrait of a diverse American community in a moment of profound change.

Directed by Jessica Jane Hart and produced by the High Plains Heritage Project.