TRUCKEE, Calif. – Donner Memorial State Park premiered a new 26-minute visitor center film Friday that recounts the story of the Donner Party and the region’s history. The film marks the first time the Washoe Tribe has been able to share its own historical accounts of the Donner Party with the public. 

The film, produced by Anna Lee-Poli of OwlEye Media, is now screened daily at Donner Memorial State Park’s visitor center. It replaces a 26-minute film from 1982 that local historians Bill Bowness and Frank Mullen said contained historical inaccuracies and reflected an outdated understanding of the region’s history.

The project was led in partnership with California State Parks, Sierra State Parks Foundation and the Washoe Tribe. 

“At the beginning of this process, we asked ourselves, ‘What is the purpose of this film?'” said Michael Myers, Executive Director at Sierra State Parks Foundation. “It’s to give people the basis of understanding and knowledge of this place.”

The new film begins with the Washoe Tribe’s creation story and explores the tribe’s thousands of years of history in the Tahoe Sierra before transitioning to the story of the Donner Party. It incorporates Washoe oral histories alongside historical research, offering visitors a broader understanding of the events that unfolded during the winter of 1846 – 47. 

For Lisa Enos, Washoe Tribe Culture and Language Resource Department Coordinator, Friday’s premiere represented an opportunity generations in the making.

“This was the first time we’ve been able to share our stories outside of our own tribe,” Enos said. “I grew up hearing this from my great-uncle. He would talk about the Donner Party and how there were people who witnessed it, that we offered help.”

Enos said her great-uncle shared stories passed down through generations.

“He would talk about us offering pine nuts and being turned away and shot at. I was always taught that offering a handful of pine nuts is one of the highest forms of friendship and respect that we as Washoe people can give to somebody else,” she said. “It speaks volumes to be able to share this with all of you.”

In addition to expanding the historical narrative, the film is a significant visual update from its predecessor. Modern cinematography, archival imagery, interviews and animation replace the decades-old production, creating a more engaging introduction for visitors before they explore the museum exhibits.

State Parks officials said the goal was not only to update an aging film, but to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the people, cultures and history that shaped the landscape surrounding Donner Memorial State Park. 

The film also closes with a message of stewardship, encouraging visitors to care for the land that has been home to the Washoe people for thousands of years.

“We have a saying in our language,” Enos said during the film premier. “With our two hands, all of us are going to take care of this place.”