The Kinaalda ceremony is an intricate four-day event performed to guide a young girls’ ascent to womanhood. In this unique documentary, Navajo filmmaker Lena Carr journeys back to her own childhood by chronicling her 13-year old niece’s initiation into womanhood. KINAALDA is a multi-layered film that elegantly weaves Carr’s complex personal story, family and community history, against the backdrop of the U.S. government policy toward the Navajo. Tanya Sheperd’s ceremony merges the importance of community, continuity, the power of women, and the significance of establishing a place in the universe. A compelling work from beginning to end.”
- Elaine Charnov, Margaret Mead Film Fest