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Timeline

Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 98 min · English
JustWatch #28,264
Directed by
Chloé Zhao

On a Native American reservation, brothers Johnny and Jashuan grapple with family, identity, and the challenges of growing up while mourning the loss of their father. Johnny dreams of leaving his troubled past behind and starting anew in Los Angeles, but he struggles with the decision of leaving his younger sister. The film explores themes of brotherhood, responsibility, and the search for a better future.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Songs My Brothers Taught Me
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2016)

Where can you watch Songs My Brothers Taught Me? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kino Film Collection, Hoopla and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Songs My Brothers Taught Me Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Life on the Reservation

    Jashaun and John Winters live with their mother, Lisa, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. As they navigate the complexities of their environment, they are faced with personal and familial challenges that shape their lives.

    Where
    Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
  2. John's Graduation Anxiety

    As John's high school graduation approaches, he grapples with anxiety about leaving the only home he has ever known. He begins to engage in illegal activities, distributing alcohol to provide for his family.

    Where
    Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
  3. A Visit to Cody

    Facing his fears about leaving, John visits his incarcerated brother Cody for reassurance. Cody encourages John to follow his dreams and abandon the constraints of the reservation.

    Where
    Prison
  4. Tragedy Strikes

    The family faces a devastating tragedy when their father, Carl Winters, dies in a house fire. At his crowded funeral, the impact of Carl's life is revealed, highlighting the complexities of his numerous relationships and children.

    Where
    Funeral Home
  5. Half-Siblings' Gathering

    During Carl's funeral, John's and Jashaun's half-siblings gather to share mixed emotions about their father. Many of them express their resentment towards Carl for his absence, showcasing the divided legacy he left behind.

    Where
    Funeral Home
  6. Steve's Café Encounter

    Eager to connect with Aurelia, John takes Jashaun to the café where she works. However, Jashaun’s curiosity leads her to eavesdrop on a conversation about their future, leading her to reflect deeply on her own aspirations.

    Where
    Café
  7. Jashaun's Job with Travis

    Motivated by her family's turmoil, Jashaun takes a job with Travis, an artist recently released from prison. Their time together reveals the significance of the number 7 in their culture, linking it to Crazy Horse’s prophecy.

    Where
    Travis's Studio
  8. John Faces Skepticism

    When John shares his plans to move to Los Angeles with Aurelia's family, they express doubt about his stability and readiness. This skepticism weighs heavily on John, causing him to question his choices.

    Where
    Aurelia's Family Home
  9. Ambush by Rivals

    While on an alcohol run, John is ambushed by rival bootleggers, leading to a violent confrontation. His truck is set on fire, leaving him vulnerable and questioning his current path.

    Where
    Reservation
  10. Jashaun's Rodeo Experience

    At her first rodeo, Jashaun unexpectedly meets one of her half-brothers, Kevin. He invites her to ride their father's horse, Sundance, sharing his own struggles with family absence and the rodeo culture.

    Where
    Rodeo
  11. John Confronts His Decision

    With the weight of his family's struggles on his shoulders, John finds the courage to reveal his plans to leave. However, uncertainty creeps in as he reflects on his ties to the reservation.

    Where
    Aurelia's Place
  12. A Change of Heart

    After a moment of uncertainty, John decides to recommit to his life on the reservation. He finds purpose and belonging while working at a body shop with one of his half-brothers, embracing his heritage.

    Where
    Body Shop

Last updated: November 16, 2024 at 11:25

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Timeline questions answered

Songs My Brothers Taught Me Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does John decide to stay on the reservation instead of moving to Los Angeles?

John ultimately chooses to stay on the reservation after realizing his deep ties to family and his heritage outweigh his desire to escape. When he arrives at Aurelia's place to tell her goodbye, he hesitates and returns home. He finds purpose working at a body shop with one of his half-brothers, embracing the responsibilities he feels toward his mother, sister Jashaun, and extended family.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, John visits his incarcerated brother Cody who encourages him to leave, creating tension between the advice he receives and the choice he ultimately makes.

  • john winters
  • los angeles
  • decision
  • stay
  • reservation
  • family
Q2

What is the significance of the number 7 and the prophecy in the movie?

Travis explains to Jashaun that the number 7 holds deep religious and cultural meaning, connected to Crazy Horse's prophecy. According to the prophecy, everything would end with the Wounded Knee Massacre but would begin anew in the 7th generation, the generation to which Jashaun belongs. This gives Jashaun a sense of cultural identity and purpose, connecting her to her ancestors and future.

  • crazy horse
  • prophecy
  • seven
  • wounded knee
  • native american
  • culture
Q3

Why does John sell alcohol illegally on the reservation?

John engages in illegal alcohol distribution to provide for his family as graduation approaches. With limited economic opportunities on the reservation and his father gone, John feels responsible for supporting his mother Lisa and younger sister Jashaun. The illegal activity represents his attempt to contribute financially despite the risks involved.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes early on that John struggles with the decision to leave, and his involvement in illegal activity shows his reluctance to abandon his responsibilities.

  • alcohol
  • bootlegging
  • reservation
  • job
  • money
  • family
Q4

What happened to Jashaun and John's father?

Their father, Carl Winters, dies in a tragic house fire. The funeral reveals the magnitude of his life, he fathered 25 children with 9 different women. Many of his children chose not to honor his name, reflecting the absence he maintained throughout their lives. His death brings the family together for the first time to confront his complicated legacy.

  • carl winters
  • father
  • house fire
  • death
  • funeral
Q5

Why does Jashaun get a job with Travis?

After the family's turmoil following their father's death, Jashaun seeks purpose and connection. She secures a job with Travis, an artist recently released from prison. Through working with him, she gains insight into her cultural heritage and discovers the significance of the number 7 in Native American tradition, helping her understand her place in the family legacy.

  • jashaun
  • travis
  • job
  • art
  • culture
  • identity
Q6

What does Kevin reveal about their father at the rodeo?

At Jashaun's first rodeo, she encounters her half-brother Kevin, who invites her to ride their father's cherished horse, Sundance. Kevin shares that despite being raised in the same household, their parents often prioritized rodeos over family, revealing another dimension of their father's neglect. This moment helps Jashaun connect with her paternal heritage and understand the patterns of absence in their family.

  • kevin
  • sundance
  • horse
  • rodeo
  • father
  • half-brother
Q7

Why do Aurelia's family doubt John's plans to move to Los Angeles?

When John informs Aurelia's family about his plans to move to Los Angeles, they express skepticism, pointing out that he lacks a stable place to live or employment prospects. Their concerns reflect the practical challenges facing someone trying to leave the reservation without resources or job security, adding to John's uncertainty about his future.

  • aurelia
  • family
  • los angeles
  • doubt
  • job
  • house
Q8

What happens to John during the alcohol run?

While making an illegal alcohol delivery, John is ambushed by rival bootleggers in a violent confrontation. The rivals set his truck on fire, leaving him vulnerable and shaken. This dangerous event, combined with Aurelia family's skepticism, causes John to seriously question his current path and whether leaving the reservation is truly the answer.

  • ambush
  • bootleggers
  • truck
  • fire
  • danger
  • alcohol run
Q9

Why does the film emphasize that the father had 25 children?

The revelation that Carl Winters fathered 25 children with 9 different women underscores the complexity of the family dynamics on the reservation. At the crowded funeral, many half-siblings gather with mixed emotions, some resenting Carl for his absence, others reflecting on the legacy he left behind. This detail highlights the theme of fractured family relationships and the challenges of growing up without paternal presence.

  • carl winters
  • 25 children
  • family
  • legacy
  • half-siblings
Q10

Why does John visit his incarcerated brother Cody?

Facing anxiety about leaving the reservation and his family behind, John visits his incarcerated brother Cody for reassurance and advice. Cody encourages John to pursue his dreams and leave the reservation behind, representing the path of escape that John contemplates throughout the film. This conversation sets up the central tension between leaving and staying.

Foreshadowing: Cody's advice to leave directly contrasts with John's ultimate decision to stay, making his visit a pivotal moment in John's character arc.

  • cody
  • prison
  • brother
  • advice
  • dreams
  • leave

Movie threads

More Movies Like Songs My Brothers Taught Me, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Songs My Brothers Taught Me tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about staying or leaving home like Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Stories where characters are torn between the promise of escape and the pull of home. A collection of movies like Songs My Brothers Taught Me, where characters grapple with the decision to stay with their family and community or pursue a new life elsewhere. These films focus on the bittersweet tension between personal dreams and loyalty to one's roots, often set in small towns or specific cultural environments.

  • bittersweet
  • contemplative
  • grounded
  • nostalgic
  • sobering
  • atmospheric
  • Tone: melancholic, contemplative, bittersweet
  • Pacing: slow, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow protagonists navigating the complexities of familial duty and personal aspiration. The central conflict is internal, revolving around a 'stay or go' dilemma that forces characters to weigh their individual happiness against their obligations to loved ones, often culminating in a compromise or a deeply personal, resonant choice.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core narrative of choosing between personal ambition and familiar responsibility. They evoke a similar feeling of thoughtful melancholy, grounded in realistic emotional stakes and a profound sense of place, offering poignant reflections on identity and belonging.

Atmospheric community dramas like Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Atmospheric films that use a specific location to explore universal human struggles. If you liked the grounded, immersive feel of Songs My Brothers Taught Me, explore these similar movies that paint a rich portrait of a specific community. These films use a slow, deliberate pace to explore themes of grief, legacy, and identity within a distinct cultural or geographical setting, creating a powerful sense of atmosphere.

  • atmospheric
  • melancholic
  • grounded
  • contemplative
  • sobering
  • slice of life
  • Tone: melancholic, atmospheric, grounded
  • Pacing: slow, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread are often ensemble-driven or follow interconnected lives within a defined community. The plot is secondary to mood and character, unfolding slowly to emphasize the texture of daily life and the unspoken bonds between people. The emotional journey is one of reflection, often dealing with collective or inherited trauma, cultural heritage, and quiet resilience.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their immersive, atmospheric quality and their focus on place as a central theme. They share a melancholic, contemplative tone and a slow pacing that allows the viewer to absorb the environment and the subtleties of character interaction, resulting in a deeply grounded viewing experience.

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Every angle

Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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