Metal Road

Documentary Short | Sarah Del Seronde

For decades, thousands of Navajos worked the railroads, maintaining the trans-continental network. Metal Road explores the dynamics of livelihood, family, and the railroads through the lens of a Navajo trackman.

27 minutes

Release: August 26, 2017

Expiration: August 26, 2021

Distributor: NETA

NOLA: MTRD 00H1

Rights: Unlimited releases over 4 years beginning 8/26/2017;

SCH/1 year; Streaming via COVE beginning 9/4/2017; and non-commercial cable rights granted. 

Sarah Del Seronde

Director/Producer
Sarah Del Seronde is from the Bennett Freeze lands of the Diné Nation, an undeveloped area of land banned from all repairs and development because of ownership disputes with the Hopi Tribe. She obtained an MA in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona and founded Aboriginal Lens LTD. Metal Road is her second film— her directorial debut was Making the River, a biographical tale of an American Indian charged with the murder of a prison guard that took her inside the Washington State Penitentiary.

Leighton C. Peterson

Writer/Producer
Leighton C. Peterson is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Miami University, an established scholarly writer, and TricksterFilms producer.
His production credits include the award-winning documentary films Columbus Day Legacy and Weaving Worlds (co-produced by the Independent Television Service (ITVS) in association with Vision Maker Media (NAPT)), and he was executive producer and voice-over talent for Bennie Klain’s award-winning short Yada Yada (Sundance), which premiered on the groundbreaking PBS series ColorVision.

Walt Pourier

Vice Chair

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns.

lynn palmanteer-holder

Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, an Indigenous plateau woman of North Central Washington and member of eight of twelve Tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Lynn recently retired as inaugural Director of Tribal Government Affairs for Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, the state’s oversight agency of 34 CTCs.  She is a highly accomplished professional that spans over 40 years. She is an experienced educator that has a demonstrated history across K12, post-secondary & higher education as a teacher, school counselor, superintendent, researcher, and professor. Also, she has diverse experience as an entrepreneur, Tribal leader and administrator. She is skilled in curriculum and program development, facilitating government to government relationships that led to formal partnerships between state institutions and Tribes developing custom programs. Lynn has served on many boards and has been recognized for various statewide, and national awards. She has several scholarly publications and has done various conference presentations and speaking engagements, at the local, national and international level. Lynn holds a Ph.C. (ABD) in Social Welfare Policy from University of Washington. She earned her M.Ed., with a concentration in counseling psychology from Washington State University and B.Ed., in K12 Education from Eastern Washington University. Lynn is a wife of 49 years, a mother of three adult professional children, granny of 10 and great granny to two. Lynn and her husband are high school sweethearts, and together enjoy time with their 15+ two-legged blessings.