OKMULGEE, Okla.- The short documentary “Tiger,” shot on the Mvskoke Reservation in Northeastern Oklahoma, made its debut in Park City, Utah on Jan. 25 at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and was recognized with the Special Jury Award for Directing for writer/director Loren K. Waters (Cherokee/Kiowa). The film had its Texas premiere at the 2025 SXSW conference on March 9.
The 13 minute short documentary spotlights Mvskoke artist Dana Tiger and her sister, AIDS advocate Lisa Tiger, as they breathe life back into the iconic 1980s Tiger T-Shirt Company. More than simple shirts they are wearable art that celebrates healing, legacy, and community.
The Tigers are the daughters of noted Mvskoke artist Jerome Tiger, whose life was tragically cut short in 1967 when his handgun accidentally discharged, shooting him in the head and killing him instantly. His passing left his wife Peggy to care for three young children: Dana, Lisa, and Chris.
It was from the soil of this loss that the seeds for the Tiger T-shirt Company took root and grew.
“We still see the (t-shirts) that we did back in the 80s. You know, we still see them because they’re really well made. The T-shirt will fall apart before the design on the T-shirt would. You know, it stays beautiful and whole while the T-shirt wears away beneath it,” says Lisa Tiger.
“Dana talks about that when she sees one of those t-shirts. It’s like seeing a relative, like seeing family.”
It was another profound loss, the gun related death of their brother Chris in 1990, that marked the seeming end of the company.
“His death nearly destroyed me,” continues Lisa Tiger.
“The way I was able to get over or get through my brother’s death was I found out that I had HIV…I’ll be with him sooner than I thought. And so I was able to be happy in my life again even though my brother was not there.”
After 30 years the Tigers knew it was time to nurture the Tiger T-shirt Company and help it grow again. They were ready to rest in the healing that is the true legacy of the Tiger T-shirt company. That’s where the film begins.
While Waters was working on casting for the Oklahoma-based series “Rez Dogs” she visited The Tiger Art Gallery in Muskogee and a collaboration grew.
“Lauren had wanted to come film something with me. And so they said let’s go down to the gallery and they asked me if they could come and film,” recalls Dana Tiger.
“I said yes and just when they showed up it was the first day in 30 years that we silkscreened one of those shirts. Just the day that they showed up. So that’s how the film started.”For Dana Tiger the shirts no longer represent loss. They are a reminder of everything good about family and the recognition that it’s time to celebrate that again. “I’m just blessed to be a part of this family. I really believe that we are as blessed as we have been cursed. It’s like we haven’t been cursed, you know. We were blessed to have those beautiful people in our life for as long as we did but it was a short time and of course we’re going to want more with them.”
“Tiger” is currently making its way through the festival circuit, having previously shown at The American Documentary And Animation Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest, and Miami Film Festival, with a scheduled appearance at The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Palm Theatre Saturday, April 26, 2:15 pm and Downtown Centre Cinemas Sunday, April 27, 10:15 am.
For further screening information or to purchase a Tiger T-Shirt visit the film webstore and the Tiger Art Gallery site.
