How ‘Four Souls of Coyote’ Used Standing Rock Protests to Tell an Ancient Native American Tale

When Áron Gauder was a child growing up in Hungary, he was drawn to Native American culture. His interest held fast as he grew up, became a filmmaker and made two animated shorts based on Native American tales: “Coyote and the Rock” in 2015 and “Coyote and the Wasichu” in 2016. His new animated feature “Four Souls of Coyote,” which is Hungary’s submission for the Oscars, is the culmination of his lifelong interest in Native American culture.

The film is inspired by a creation myth that posits that humans are but one small part of the natural world. “In this story, humans are not the crown of creation, they are just one of the created beings,” Gauder said during a recent discussion with Steve Pond and “Four Souls of Coyote” producer Réka Temple that was part of TheWrap’s Screening Series.