For 55 years, hundreds of contestants in the Miss Navajo Nation pageant have competed for the chance to represent their people.
Now Los Angeles filmmaker Billy Luther, 32, shows national audiences what it takes to win the title.
Luther's first feature-length project, "Miss Navajo," chronicles one contender's journey during the 2005-06 pageant and includes interviews with former winners.
Contestants are judged on a variety of talents, including speaking fluent Navajo and butchering a sheep, all in the hope of wearing the shiny silver crown studded with turquoise stones.
There's no swimsuit contest, and, instead of evening gowns, contestants wear traditional dresses and moccasins, said Luther, who is Navajo, Laguna and Hopi.
PBS plans to air the documentary at 10 p.m. Tuesday on KUAT as part of the network's "Independent Lens" series.
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The 60-minute documentary has already been screened at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
Filmmaker Michael Moore, founder of the Traverse City Film Festival in Michigan, gave the film his special founder's prize.
Luther, who was born in Winslow and has been making short films for 13 years, said it's an exciting time in American Indian cinema. "There's more of a platform to be seen and heard. Sundance is excellent at promoting native film and cinema," he said. YouTube is also more accessible to youths, he said, and there's more variety of films being made. "There are natives making horror films."
Luther is developing a TV show with an all-"native" cast. "It's too early to talk about, but I'm interested in doing lots of things."
We spoke with Luther via telephone about "Miss Navajo," the state of American Indian cinema and humor.
The film focuses on contestant Crystal Frazier, a 20-year-old from the (Navajo) Reservation. Why did you decide to focus on her story?
"I met with different contestants, and what attracted me to Crystal, she's very shy. As she says in the film, she's an introvert, and I never see shy subjects on film. . . .
"Another thing, (Crystal) is a tomboy, and she said she doesn't do all those girly things that young girls do. Since this is not your typical beauty pageant, I thought it was good to find someone who doesn't fit the typical beauty pageant mold. That was the challenge."
Your mother — Sarah Johnson-Luther — wore the coveted Miss Navajo Nation crown in 1966. What did she think of the film?
"She was nervous at first. She wasn't sure what it was going to be about. I didn't tell anyone about the focus of the film.
"People thought the documentary was going to be a year-by-year account of the pageant, but I knew I wasn't going to make that film.
"I knew it was going to be about a contemporary young woman, and I wanted to showcase this unique pageant. I wanted to show people who aren't familiar with (the pageant) a film about the culture of native people."
How has the film been received on the reservation and in cities?
"People seem to love the film. People take away different things, from the role of women in pageants, to people thinking about Navajo culture, to a documentary that challenges the whole notion of beauty. But I think people love seeing a contemporary story of a young Navajo girl; that's something that's missing from cinema. It's something people hadn't seen, and it's something I wanted to take on.
"As for the whole reception, it's premiered already to the former Miss Navajos at the Navajo Nation Museum. They loved it. I think people were nervous going into it. Former Miss Navajos weren't sure how (the pageant) would be portrayed.
"But I think people felt like they went on this journey with Crystal. You got little moments and glimpses into former pageant winners and their experiences. And I think overall, people were entertained by the humor in this film, and that was one of the challenges because it's so easy to make people cry."
What's your next project?
"I'm working on a couple of documentaries about the Laguna Tribe. My dad is half-Laguna and half-Hopi. I'm interested in telling stories about those tribes. You don't hear about the Laguna Tribe in the mainstream. It took me four-and-a-half years to do 'Miss Navajo.' It's exciting now because people are responding."
"Miss Navajo" screens at 7 p.m. today at the Grand Cinemas Crossroads, 4811 E. Grant Road.
You can also watch the documentary on PBS' "Independent Lens" series, scheduled to air at 10 p.m. Tuesday on KUAT, Channel 6.
• Information online: www.missnavajomovie.com.
