Sixth annual festival offers movies, music and SURPRISES

Since its inception in 2013, the Gallup Film Festival has gone from a small event with just three films to an annual celebration with upward of 60 movies screened across three days.

Knifewing Segura, the head of Knifewing Productions and director of the Gallup Film Festival, said the growth of the festival has been remarkable.

“I think it’s been constantly growing,” he said in a Sept. 5 phone interview. “People love the idea of the festival growing.”

Segura said part of the festival’s strategy was to watch how other film festivals grew and then figure out how to take those procedures and apply them in Gallup.

The steps the Gallup festival has taken have paid off in the past three years, as the GFF has begun to draw the interest of filmmakers and prominent actors in the movie industry.

“Competition is going to get tougher, but it will bring out the best of the best,” Segura said about the growing number of entrants.

The appeal of the Gallup Film Festival has reached international filmmakers in India, Russia, and beyond, who want to get involved with various aspects of the festival.

But despite the growing interest from abroad, Segura also aims to appeal to local filmmakers, sharing the creative spark of people from this area with the rest of the world.

“[There are] stories about Gallup that need to get on out there,” he said. “I’m excited for what it’s going to do in the Gallup area.”

In addition to screenings of over 40 films from a dozen countries, the headline of the 2018 Gallup Film Festival is the special guest appearance by actor and musician Wes Studi, who has appeared in over 80 television and film productions including Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Avatar and most recently, Hostiles.

“Everyone involved is really excited,” Segura said about the opportunity to have Wes Studi attend the festival. “And he’s pretty excited about the festival.”

In addition to Studi, renowned comedian Marc Yaffee will also make a special appearance at the festival. The Native American writer, comedian and actor will be featured Sept. 10 at the Comedy Night Fundraiser held at the Downtown Conference Center at 6:30 pm.

Segura spoke about setting up meetings with directors for screening at the festival. He said the public’s reception to GFF news has been positive. The increase in audience interest has led the Gallup Film Festival to move from the Gallup Downtown Conference Center to the El Morro Theatre, and then to the El Morro Event Center and the Gallup Cultural Center.

“Movies are growing, so the building [spaces] are growing,” Segura said.

The presence of features like Mankiller, Defending the Fire and My Amish World, as well as the many features by other filmmakers impressed Segura with their ability to talk about a variety of subjects in new and remarkable ways, he said.

“I’m really impressed with a lot of them,” he said. “Some movies tell an incredible story.”

Segura emphasized the importance of the festival’s location in Gallup, a town of

both cultural and historical significance. He said he hopes the people and locations will spur both new and veteran filmmakers to continue producing and presenting their best work.

“You can’t get a better place than Gallup,” he said.

The festival is held Sept. 13 through 15, with tickets available at the Gallup Downtown Conference Center, 204 W. Coal Ave. The Q&A and Meet and Greet with Wes Studi takes place Sept. 13 at the Conference Center for $25.

By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Joined by his supporters in the capital of the Navajo Nation, presidential candidate Jonathan Nez officially announced Navajo businessman Myron Lizer as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2018 Navajo Nation general election.

“After careful thought, prayer, and a thorough vetting process I have selected Myron Lizer to join the Nez ticket as my running mate,” Nez said. “He brings over 28 years of business management and experience working for Fortune 500 companies and has worked tirelessly at building an economy here on Dinétah. Mr. Lizer offers a wealth of ideas on how to improve our government and provide business opportunities for the benefit of all Navajo people.”

Lizer’s family is originally from a small community known as Coalmine, located just northeast of Tse Bonito, New Mexico. He is Numunu (Comanche Nation) and born for Tó’áhani.

Lizer has served the Navajo Nation for years, founding the Window Rock chapter of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce, providing financial literacy training to entrepreneurs, and is the president of the Navajo Westerners Ace Hardware Stores and Lumber Yards.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in business administration from Fort Lewis College, and before returning home, he was employed by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe as an accountant for the Southern Ute Growth Fund.

Lizer and his wife Dottie reside in Window Rock and have three children, Dwayne, Kevin and Hallie.

“From the start, this campaign has been about building unity among our Diné people and our communities,” Nez said. “Together, Mr. Lizer and I will continue on that path and we will continue listening to the People in the coming months.”

Staff Reports

The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is investigating a shooting involving a Bernalillo Police Department officer.

Preliminary information indicates around 6:30 pm on Sept. 3, two BPD officers were dispatched to a shots-fired call at the KOA Campground located at 555 South Hill Road in Bernalillo. Officers were given limited information from 911 calls that Fernand “Fred” Lete, 70, of Rio Rancho, had shot another male subject inside a camp trailer at the campground and that both the victim and Lete remained inside the camp trailer.

When the officers arrived at the camp trailer and announced their presence, Lete opened the door and was armed with a revolver. One BPD officer fired multiple shots. Lete subsequently returned inside the camp trailer and barricaded himself.

Surrounding law enforcement agencies were called to assist and a perimeter was set up around the location. Responding State Police tactical units utilized equipment to view the inside of the camp trailer and observed what appeared to be two deceased male subjects inside.

Officers made entry into the camp trailer and discovered Lete unresponsive from apparent gunshot wounds. EMS was contacted but Lete succumbed to injuries and died on scene. A second male subject, later identified as Michael LaPlante, 55, of Rio Rancho, was discovered deceased of apparent gunshot wounds.

A .38 caliber revolver was found inside the camp trailer near Lete’s possession.

The New Mexico State Police is also investigating LaPlante’s homicide. State Police agents are conducting interviews and the State Police Crime Scene Team is processing the scene for evidence.

This incident remains under investigation. The details concerning the homicide investigation and the police shooting remain under investigation with no further information available.

The name of the officer involved will not be released until all interviews are completed.

GRANTS – At about 7 am on Sept. 1, the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau was contacted to investigate a homicide at the San Rafael Church.

Investigators learned that around 6:30 am, the Grants Police Department was alerted to a person laying in the parking lot of the church.

Officers arrived to find Paul Valdez, 30, of San Rafael, deceased.

New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents as well as the State Polce Crime Scene Team were called.

Valdez’s death is being treated as a homicide. The investigation is very preliminary with no details currently available.

Anyone with any information about this homicide is asked to contact the NM State Police at (505) 841-9256.