Return to Rainy Mountain

27 min | Documentary Short | Jill Momaday

Return to Rainy Mountain is a documentary film that tells the story of N. Scott Momaday. It is a personal account of his life and legacy told in his own voice, and in the voice of his daughter Jill. Momaday speaks of his Kiowa roots, family, literature, oral tradition, nature, identity, and the sacred and important things that have shaped his life.

Release: November 1, 2019

Expiration: November 1, 2022

Distributor: New Mexico PBS

NOLA: HD05

Rights: Unlimited releases over three (3) years beginning 11/1/2019;

SCH/1YR (for K‐12); and non‐commercial cable rights.

Jill Momaday (Kiowa)

Director/Writer/Producer
Jill Scott Momaday has spent all of her life immersed in the arts. Growing up in a family who has a rich cultural, artistic, and literary background helped to inspire her passion for theater. Jill’s deep connection to her Kiowa Heritage has given her a rich background to draw from in her professional work as an actor, storyteller, and filmmaker. A few of her film credits include Tony Hillerman’s Coyote Waits, directed by Jan Egglesen and produced by Robert Redford; The Desperate Trail, directed by Paul Pesche; and Silent Tongue, written and directed by Sam Shepard.

Shirley Sneve (Rosebud Sioux)

Executive Producer
Shirley Sneve works with Indian Country Today in the expansion of their daily newscast to public television stations. She was President & CEO of the Tiwahe Foundation located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota from 2019-2020—an American Indian community foundation that provides micro-grants in Minnesota and directs the Oyate Leadership Network. From 2004 until 2019, she was Executive Director of Vision Maker Media.

Doug Crawford

Cinematographer/Editor
Douglas Crawford of Delighted Eye Video, is known for his direction and filming of the award-winning Surviving Columbus: The Story of the Pueblo People (PBS, 120 mins., 1992) and as Director of Photography for The Native Americans (TBS, six hours, 1994).

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.