Tuesday, December 2, 2025 – Short films taking on big stories

“Braids” by director, writer, and editor Elise Aachix̂ Qağaduug Beers (Unangan) tells the story of a Native student who contends with bullying and uninformed school policy. It’s a modern-day tale with a long historical reach. “Guts,” a comedy by Elias Gold (Diné), is a story of a drifter who wreaks havoc on the Navajo reservation in search of a particular traditional food. We’ll talk with both filmmakers and also get an update on a new initiative to elevate Indigenous voices across film and TV. GUESTS Elise Aachix̂ Qağaduug Beers (Aleut, Unangan), director, writer, and editor of “Braids” Elias Gold (Diné), filmmaker and operator of the YouTube channel “Native Media Theory” Joey Clift (Cowlitz), comedian, Emmy-nominated producer and television writer, and the writer and director of “Pow!” Dr. Shelly Lowe (Diné), president of the Institute of American Indian Arts   Break 1 Music: Chant Ancestral (song) Geneviève Gros-Louis (artist) Break 2 Music: Coffee (song) James Bilagody (artist) Near Midnight (album)