Miss Navajo (2007)

The role of women and tradition in Dine (Navajo) culture is explored through a young girl's quest for the Miss Navajo Nation crown.

Director:

Billy Luther

Stars:

Radmilla Cody, Marilyn Help Hood, Ida Gail Organick

Cast

Credited cast:
Radmilla Cody	...	Herself
Marilyn Help Hood
Ida Gail Organick	...	Herself

Storyline

Each year for the last 54 the Navajo Nation crowns Miss Navajo, a young woman who represents the ideals of traditional values and Navajo culture. Crystal Frazier, 21, lives with her family on the reservation in Table Mesa, New Mexico. She's a tomboy and a little shy, but something about the pageant captures her imagination and ignites a competitive spark. She begins to prepare by working on her talent, studying the language and, of course, figuring out what she will wear. As we follow her path to the pageant, we're introduced to former Miss Navajo winners who discuss what the title has meant to them. Everything culminates in the competition when Crystal meets the other contestants and they prepare to go before the judges. Though Miss Navajo follows a path blazed by other "competition" docs, in the end, it tells the richer stories of the struggle to hold onto a disappearing culture and the bonds that can unite across generational lines. Funny and heartwarming, this film puts beauty ...

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Release Date:

January 2007 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

World of Wonder, Independent Television Service (ITVS)

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

User Reviews

This movie would be best on T.V.

Although I just finished watching this short documentary on the big screen, I feel this movie is more fit for a T.V. audience. I can't see people paying money to see this film. There were parts that were well done, such as the part where the girls voice narrates portions of the Navajo myths on creation, etc. But most of the film was amateurish, even for a documentary. I can't really slam a film that gives some insight into the lives of modern day Navajo people, but then I can't overlook the flaws either. I really didn't feel like I knew the real people in the film any better than I did before the film started. I thought the giggling girl interactions between the contestants was interesting, although much of that was filmed on the girls own home camera and it was hard to hear everything being said. I guess the moral of the movie is supposed to be that when a cultures language dies, that culture dies. If that supposition is correct, then the Navajo tribe is in trouble based on how much these girls could speak the language. Semi-interesting film, but not one I would likely go out of my way to watch again.