Premieres Monday, May 16, 2022 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand with PBS Video App
Somewhere within the 17 million acres around the borders of Northwest Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, lies one of the most remote high schools in the country: Navajo Mountain High School, home to Indigenous students of the Navajo Nation. In the tender documentary “Scenes from the Glittering World,” filmmakers follow the daily life of three Indigenous students as they experience ubiquitous teen trials and triumphs, while working to reconnect with their Navajo homeland and culture.
From documentarian and director Jared Jakins, “Scenes from the Glittering World” is a coming-of-age story told through the lens of the unique experiences of teens from the Navajo community who must maneuver through the complications of adolescence while at a small school with shrinking resources, maintain hope to realize their dreams, and live up to community expectations.
The film follows Granite Sloan, a 14-year old struggling to find purpose and peace both at school and at home, following the death of his younger brother; freshman Ilii Neang, who is new to the school after moving from Las Vegas and is unsure if her community will accept her queerness; and Noah Begay, a senior who although is at risk of not graduating, remains confident in his passions.
Throughout the film, audiences are greeted by stunning footage of the vast landscapes that encompass Navajo Nation. Reflective and vivid, it is an intimate portrait of the resilience of young people in the Navajo Nation as they prepare to enter the harsh realities of adulthood, and attempt to find their way back home to their native culture and traditions.
Watch On Your Schedule:
INDEPENDENT LENS will premiere “Scenes from the Glittering World” for its U.S. broadcast debut on May 16, 2022, on PBS.org and the PBS Video App.
Filmmaker Quote:
“The film’s three central figures are at times quiet, introspective, often hilarious, still unsure of what they want and why,” said director Jared Jakins. “As a director I was drawn to their humor and their youthful melancholy, but ultimately their understated but remarkable frankness inspired me to collaborate closely with them in crafting this film. My approach to the formal qualities of the film was directly influenced by these collaborations. This process ultimately made Granite, Ilii, and Noah active participants in forging their own representations. The result is a spectrum of vibrant familial life and carefully observed moments of catharsis. Our aim was to provide an intimate and lasting contemporary portrait of these beautiful and resilient young people. I hope audiences are moved by our characters’ survival, the love of their families and the healing of their sacred lands.”
CREDITS:
Director and Cinematographer Jared Jakins. Executive Producers: Roger Fields and Scott Christopherson. Producers: Roni Jo Draper, Hunter Phillips, Carly Jakins and Kelyn Takeaki Ikegami. Presented by ITVS.
