'THIN PLACES' FILM + DISCUSSION WITH DIRECTOR BRIT HENSEL
Friday, August 29, 2025
Door 6:00 PM | Film + Program 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Philbrook Museum, 2727 S Rockford Rd, Tulsa, OK 74114
Mature Audience
Join us at Philbrook Museum of Art for a powerful evening of cinema and conversation.
Experience THIN PLACES, the award-winning short film by acclaimed filmmaker and Tulsa Artist Fellowship alum Brit Hensel—a moving exploration of the boundaries between life and death, and the spaces that connect them.
Following the screening, stay for an intimate discussion with the creative team: writer/director Brit Hensel, producers Blake Brown and Taylor Hensel, and actor Shelby Rector. The conversation will be moderated by Cheyenne Smith of Tulsa Artist Fellowship, offering audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at the making of this evocative work.
“For Kituwah people and many other Native communities, death is not the final stop. I’ve heard elders talk about places in our world where the veil between this life and the next is much closer, and I’ve found that to be true in my own experience. It’s within those thin places I find their presence and the strength to keep going forward.”
ABOUT THE FILM
THIN PLACES (2025, 17', USA) Writer/Director: Brit Hensel. Producers: Blake Brown, Tiffany Bruner, Taylor Hensel. Executive Producers: Heather Rae, Tracy Rector. Cinematographer: Nick Buttram, Brit Hensel. Editor: Sauli Pillay. Sound: Ryan Weaver, Mike McAuliffe. Composer: Daniel Bachman. Cast: Shelby Rector, Quannah Chasinghorse, Roman Romero.
After her sister Tama’s untimely passing, Birdie learns that the bond between them is stronger than life and death. In between states of memory and heartbreak, Tama and Birdie show how we can continue on in a different way if we are willing to listen.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR + WRITER
Brit Hensel is an Oklahoma-based director and award-winning filmmaker whose work has been featured at Sundance, imagineNATIVE, Hot Docs, and Full Frame. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she is the first female enrolled member of the tribe to direct a film selected by the Sundance Film Festival.
Her films explore themes of the environment, Indigenous women’s experiences, language, and her people’s deep ties to the lands of Oklahoma and North Carolina. In 2022, her short film ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught) premiered at Sundance, was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the 38th IDA Documentary Awards, and was selected for the inaugural L.A. Times Op-Docs. In 2021, Brit received four regional Emmy Awards for her work as a producer and director on the documentary series Osiyo: Voices of the Cherokee People. She also served as 2nd AC on the Emmy-nominated FX series Reservation Dogs. Through Tuya Gadu Productions, the production company she co-founded with sister and filmmaker Taylor Hensel, Brit is set to premiere her latest film, Thin Places, co-starring Shelby Factor and Quannah Chasinghorse, at imagineNATIVE in June 2025. She is also currently in production on her first feature documentary, What She Carries, under the same banner.
A former cultural specialist for the Cherokee Nation, Brit co-founded Rez Dog Resources, an advocacy collective supporting animal welfare and rescue efforts across Oklahoma’s tribal communities. In recognition of her impactful work, Brit was named 2022 Tulsan of the Year by Tulsa World Magazine and was awarded the 2021-2023 Tulsa Artist Fellowship.
ABOUT PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART
Philbrook Museum of Art is committed to being Tulsa’s most welcoming and engaging cultural institution, providing a unique trifecta of experiences: a historic home, world class art museum, 25 acres of gardens. Philbrook Museum of Art opened on October 25, 1939. The addition of a 70,000 square foot wing in 1990 turned the historic home into a modern museum complex. A major garden renovation in 2004 cemented the Museum’s reputation as “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma.” Through bold action and strategic investment, we create a space for new ideas, diverse stories and perspectives, and social connection. The Philbrook Collection features more than 16,000 objects with a focus on American, Native American, and European art. Serving over 140,000 visitors annually, Philbrook shines a light on Tulsa’s storied and complex past while building a diverse and creative vision of the city’s future.
VISITOR EXPERIENCE
Philbrook Museum of Art is committed to making all guests feel welcome and supported. To learn more and make inquiries, visit philbrook.org/access.
Hearing Loop technology is available in the auditorium for visitors with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Assisted listening devices are also available at the Admissions Desk. Unsure if you have a Telecoil? Ask your hearing professional. To learn more about how it works, click here.
Tulsa Artist Fellowship is committed to arts accessibility. A ticket subsidy is available for audience members experiencing hardship. Please contact info@tulsaartistfellowship.org for more information.