Shining Mountains Film Festival
Dream, Touch, Believe – 84 min
The inspiring life of Michael Naranjo, an Indigenous Tewa and Santa Clara Pueblo sculptor who lost his eyesight and the use of one hand due to a grenade blast during the Vietnam War. Yet, the Indigenous Pueblo artist creates sculptures coveted by collectors worldwide. The shadow-like bronzes treasured for their haunting beauty are prominently displayed in homes, museums, and grand institutions like the White House and Vatican. But it’s Naranjo’s life story that continues to spark hope within people of all walks of life. Dream Touch Believe is a timeless biographical documentary about a man who succeeded in doing what he was told he couldn’t do. It is a film that will inspire audiences of all ages.
Nicholas Black Elk – 26 min
The Oglala Lakota chief, Black Elk, stands as one of the most revered Native American figures in history. Healer, shaman, and Catholic spiritual leader, Nicholas Black Elk was a bridge between two seemingly radically opposed worlds
Children Of The Mountains – 7 min 42 sec
The artistic vision behind Children of the Mountain explores the sacred Indigenous tradition of the sweat lodge. With the permission of Ron Six Bears Alec, this short film seeks to capture the essence of this spiritual experience, preserve it and carry forward one of the most spiritually healing practices of the Indigenous communities—one that tribal disenrollment threatens but cannot strip away
We Are Still Here – 21 min 13 sec
For thousands of years, the Timbisha Shoshone have survived the extremes of Death Valley. But their greatest battle wasn’t against the desert—it was against erasure. Through the undeniable history recounted by elders like Pauline and Joe Kennedy, and the urgent, present-day fight led by Jimmy-John, this film explores the ongoing struggle for sovereignty, transparency, and the very survival of the community. The land has a spirit, but protecting it requires a new generation to stand its ground.
Run As One – 6 min
Errol Ranville has been running all his life: from chronic poverty and racism in rural Manitoba; a discriminatory music business; alcohol and drug addiction; and the responsibilities that come with being regarded as a role model. Though Errol has faced seemingly insurmountable barriers as an Indigenous performer in a predominantly white music business, his band C-Weed & the Weeds released several #1 songs and went on to score JUNO nominations in 1985 and 1986. Errol was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2011. Errol’s autobiography Run as One is filled with love and passion as he embraces the role of trailblazer for the countless musicians that follow his path.
Reservation Redemption – 60 min
At age 17, Chief Marchand Rice received a life sentence without parole, narrowly missing the death penalty by a single vote. Francis Cullooyah, a Kalispel spiritual leader, changed the Chief’s life trajectory by asking a simple question. “Who do you want to be when you grow up”? Realizing he had a choice despite the life sentence he was given. He changed a life without to a life within. He immersed himself in his Native Culture he had never known before and became a leader, a teacher, and a mentor for anyone who wanted to learn.
Sacred Dog – 54min 43
An award-winning story about a Native American family’s use of sport to fight against their historically bloody and impoverished past and teach their young about their own imperiled culture. Indian Relay Race is an extreme and sometimes dangerous sport: three times around the track on three different horses, bareback. But it’s also a sustaining sport. It restores the primacy of the horse in Lakota lives – the horse as a “medicine,” as a lifeline.
Dancing Warriors – 10min
A team of Indian Relay Racing teens, named Dancing Warriors, come together to compete and support each other as they face the challenges of life on the reservation. The coming-of-age story of Lakota youth as they find strength in tradition and passion in competition.
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