The day after Thanksgiving, Netflix will debut Billy Luther’s most recent film, “Frybread Face and Me,” directed by an Indigenous filmmaker.
This enthralling film stars Charley Hogan and Kier Tallman, two young indigenous performers who are accompanied by an ensemble cast that includes Martin Seinsmeier and Kahara Hodges.
Young Native actors Kier Tallman and Charley Hogan lead an ensemble cast that also includes Martin Seinsmeier and Kahara Hodges in this compelling movie.
The film explores themes of loss and the rediscovery of community and culture and is directed by Luther, who is of Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna descent.
The movie takes place in 1990 and centres on 12-year-old Tallman as Benny, who finds himself suddenly spending the summer with his grandmother (Sara H. Nataani) on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.
Benny meets his cousin, Hogan, whom he lovingly refers to as Frybread Face. With the help of his eccentric uncle Marvin (Martin Seinsmeier) and adventurous aunt Lucy (Kahara Hodges), Benny gradually adjusts to life on a reservation. During the movie, Benny has a stronger connection with his Navajo heritage and gains a better understanding of it.
Celebrity filmmaker Luther, who has twenty years of experience, said that at first, sharing his experiences through documentaries was a more affordable option. 2007 saw a great deal of praise and recognition for his documentary “Miss Navajo.”
Luther said, “Sometimes inspiration is right in front of us; we just need to open our eyes to see it,” in reflection on his creative process. The “Frybread Face and Me” story was gradually shaped by these inspirations, which took the form of striking sceneries.
Growing up, Luther witnessed firsthand how poorly Native Americans were portrayed in the popular press, which inspired him to support real storytelling.
His objective was to tell the stories of his indigenous culture, which he found vibrant and humorous.
Luther wants to provide an authentic and approachable depiction of Native American life with “Frybread Face and Me,” something that was absent from his own upbringing.
