KǪ’: IDENTITY, MENTAL HEALTH AND FRIENDSHIP
By Harrison J. Bahe
Navajo filmmaker Albert Haskie of Leonard Productions has been someone I’ve had my eye on for a couple of years now. I discovered his short films on his YouTube channel while I sought out other Indigenous filmmakers and his works immediately garnered my attention. I will always have a soft spot for passionate filmmakers who gather a group of friends together and produce a short film using whatever tools of the trade they have at their disposal. It’s the kind of filmmaking that I started out with nearly 18 years ago and still continue to incorporate into my films today. Now, Haskie has produced a new short film that is entirely in the Navajo language.
“Kǫ”, which means “fire” in Navajo, is a heartfelt drama that follows the journey of two Navajo men as they grapple with life’s complexities. This film explores themes of identity, mental health, and the enduring power of friendship. One night, against the backdrop of the Navajo Nation, they come together to share a ritualistic experience, smoking mountain tobacco, and open up about their inner struggles.
Kǫ features three characters played by Albert Haskie himself, Dark Winds actor Zakota Shade, and indie musician Hataałiinez Wheeler. The story is a simple one: a poet hitchhikes to a friend’s house on the rez to share and smoke mountain tobacco and discuss some troubling things on his mind. Executed in that homemade style of filmmaking I’ve come to adore, Kǫ is a slice-of-life short film featuring modern day Indigenous people facing modern problems in a traditional way. Featuring strong performances by Shade and Wheeler who are the center focus of the short film. The vulnerability of Shade’s character breaks through the stereotypical archetype of the “stoic indian” and Wheeler’s sage like approach to helping his friend understand his plights through traditional means is commendable. I wanted the story to be expanded upon and, despite a clear message of the meaning of fire in a traditional sense, the film does end prematurely and unsatisfactorily.
Unfortunately, as it is primarily a YouTube based production, the short film is plagued with those habitual errors that go hand-in-hand with shoestring/no-budget short films. Errors such as wind blowing into the mic, a static shot of a car driving while it is obviously parked, and noisy images due to a high ISO being used are some that come to mind. However, I simply cannot fault the filmmakers for this. It’s those types of things that give short films such as this character and that whole “indie darling” feel. It signifies the rise of the self taught filmmaker learning from their mistakes.
Kǫ is a solid outing for filmmaker Albert Haskie who has his own quirky oeuvre ranging from the downright ridiculous (his Spam Preserves a Man and Cheii Getting to School series immediately comes to mind) to the dramatic outings (Yiskáago also featuring Zakota Shade) to the adorably absurd (Zoom Interviews Be Like and Mósí, which is my personal favorite). Solid performances and a simple story leave the viewers wanting more but that certainly doesn’t stop this from being an important short film from a language perspective. The film is completely in Navajo and, more importantly, is produced entirely by young Navajo filmmakers seeking to preserve their language through an expressive medium. That, in of itself, is an impressive feat which is why I give Kǫ —
3.5 Cigarettes out of 5
Kǫ will be available on YouTube on September 14th at 6pm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9mki4_likQ
