WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was briefed Wednesday about a film production featuring one of his favorite topics – the fast-paced, high stakes sport of Navajo high school basketball.
Producer Mauricio Mota and director Sydney Freeland visited the president to show him the plan to film the Netflix basketball film “Rez Ball” that is expected to begin shooting this summer. It’s being produced by LeBron James production firm, Spring-Hill Company.
Emmy-nominated writer-director Sydney Freeland grew up in Gallup and graduated from Navajo Prep.
Rez Ball is based on the book “Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation” by New York Times sports commentator and reporter Michael Powell. Published in 2019, the book is based on 2016-17 Chinle High School boys basketball team and its pursuit of a state title.
Powell left his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., to follow his wife to a job in Chinle. It was there he discovered the phenomenon of Navajo basketball. So he returned to document it in Canyon Dreams.
The film will feature the fictional Chuska Warriors boys high school team.
Casting calls were held last week at the Shiprock and Nenahnezad Chapter Houses and will continue Saturday, March 4, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Nenahnezad Chapter House in Upper Fruitland.
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