Private Project

Tomena

With his career hanging in the balance, a tormented songwriter must confront his deepest wound when visited by someone from his distant past.

JT Martin is a successful Native American songwriter-recording artist. After ten years in Nashville and a string of hits, JT finds himself in a creative rut. On this mystical evening he locks himself away in a motel room with a guitar and vices in hopes of conjuring up the muse. While battling a ticking clock with Titan Records JT gets an unexpected visitor from the distant past that helps him confront his demons and discover the true reason behind his creative and emotional torment.

An original film by Gary Medina Cook. Filmed on location in Santa Fe New Mexico and the Red Willow Indian Reservation with an Indigenous production team and cast.

  • Gary Medina Cook
    Director
    Paint by Numbers, Spirit Moves
  • Gary Medina Cook
    Writer
    Paint by Numbers, Spirit Moves
  • Blind Tiger Media
    Producer
    Paint by Numbers, Spirit Moves, Blues Cube, Long For You, Mirabal Reserve
  • Anthony Warren
    Key Cast
    "Tomena"
  • Gary Medina Cook
    Key Cast
    "JT"
  • Terry Diers
    Key Cast
    "Bud "
  • Robert Mirabal
    Key Cast
    "Hands in River"
  • Lydia Clark - 1st Assistant Director
    Crew
  • Nathaniel Fuentes - Director of Photography Unit 1
    Crew
  • Gary Medina Cook - Director of Photography - Unit 2
    Crew
  • Sushan Shiwakoti - 2nd Assistant Director
    Crew
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 1, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Red Helium, Red Scarlett
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Institute of American Indian Arts
  • Cannes World Film Festival

    France
    Nominee: Best Song
  • Red Nation Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 1, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Native Spirit Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    World Premiere
    Office Selection
  • Santa Fe Film Festival
    Santa Fe
    United States
    February 17, 2021
    Nominee - Best Story
  • Tokyo International Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    February 1, 2021
    Nominee Best Short
  • Chicago Indie Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    December 1, 2020
    Semi- Finalist
  • Montreal International Film Festival
    Montreal
    Canada
    December 1, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Institute of American Indian Arts
    Santa Fe
    United States
    May 14, 2020
    Best Acting, Best Music, Best Film
Director Biography - Gary Medina Cook

Gary Medina Cook is an award winning filmmaker, professional music and music composer. Born and raised in Northern New Mexico, Gary's ancestry is a mix of Spanish, Indigenous Mexican, Cherokee, French and English/Scottish. He currently attends the University of New Mexico and Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Gary is an accomplished guitarist and performs regularly with Grammy award winning Taos Pueblo recording artist Robert Mirabal.

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Director Statement

"The art of cinema, story, and music are enigmatic forms that allow me to explore the human condition and inspire others through the creative process."