walking in beauty – in development

Walking in Beauty is an observational coming-of-age story about Cooper, a young Navajo bullfighter who grows up caught between two worlds: the modern Western society and indigenous traditions. Set around the July Fourth rodeo, it explores the delicate balance between preservation and change, assimilation and survival.

This impressionist film offers an intimate experience of growing up in the reservation, exploring themes of identity, belonging, family ties, and cultural dysphoria. Central to the story is the Navajo concept of “walking in beauty,” a philosophy of life that encompasses aesthetic, artistic, physical, and emotional well-being, environment, family, and community. “Walking in beauty” means being able to maintain balance between opposite forces. And the goal is to lead a full, meaningful life.