Two Spirits

On the surface, it may seem as if the story of Fred Martinez, a transgendered teenager brutally murdered in Cortez, Colo., has been told countless times. But in reality, director Lydia Nibley’s Two Spirits is the kind of story that rarely gets told. The film explores the nexus of discriminations that arises when a gay, bicultural, Navajo teenager from a working-class background tries to be himself.

The film contextualizes Martinez’s story in two ways. First, it traces back the traditional Navajo cultural teachings of not only accepting transgendered people, but also revering them as nádleehí, or two-spirit people.

It also harkens back to history when conquistadors persecuted and brutally murdered two-spirit people; and to the Civil War era, when the federal government forcibly removed Navajo children from their parents’ home and institutionalized, reeducated, and scrubbed them of their heritage and culture. 

Although at times hindered by unevenness in tone, Two Spirits emerges overall a compelling and heart-wrenching film that explores the complexities and fluidity of identity.

***World Premiere*** 12:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at King Center

Director Lydia Nibley will be present for a Q&A after the screening

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2 comments

Anonymous

Wed May 12 2010 09:19

heeello

B. Hinton

Wed Nov 18 2009 22:57

I came across this article by chance. I live in Cortez, Colorado where this person was tragically killed. I have not heard ANYTHING about this film in our area. Thank you for bringing this to film.

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