Ancestral Passage Logline Tossing Christianity, a Native American sets out to find her genetic roots on the Silk

Road. Pagan nomads in Muslim lands practicing biblical customs bring her back to familiar writings and sacred tribal texts, but no longer within the confines of Christianity. Ancestral Passage Synopsis Talia, a smart Navajo student, lives on the rez but attends a modern, urban church. Native American classes open her eyes to the damage Christianity inflicted on the tribe. Tensions grow between her and her schizophrenic, legend-telling, bible-teaching father. With scholastic eloquence she buries any notion of a Native American Israeli connection. Mounting peer tension pushes Talia to completely ditch her faith. Redirected funds for the much-anticipated Silk Road trip vanish, inciting Talias own mad journey back to her genetic kin, the nomads of Central Asia. After days on the road, she sells her pick-up, buys passage across the Baring Straight, onto the Trans Siberian, and eventually lands in Muslim Kyrgyzstan - the origin of her forefathers chromosomes. Along the way an old Native tells her that tribal people are a last hope for planet earth. Baring Straight icebergs remind Talia of her fathers creation myths. A familiar visitor on the Trans Siberian delivers her from a dark spirit. Siberians speak about a lost golden ark, a book like the Torah, and their belief in a savior. Kyrgyzstan welcomes their lost sister and entrusts Talia to a pretty journalist who presents their own Wounded Knee. Meanwhile, a foreign warlord notices Talia piecing together ancient cultures and biblical nomads. Her televised interview enrages these religious guardians. Jaz, the journalist, sweeps Talia away to a yurt camp in the mountains. Talia fits in so naturally that one shepherd doesnt realize she is foreign - even after a romantic horse ride. Talias drift from Christianity solidifies; even as she observes legends and customs that mirror the biblical prophets. In Arizona her dads struggle with his pastor intensifies as he copes with Talias (the colleges Miss Indians) publicized disappearance. Extremists, who must destroy the pagan Indian girl to keep freedom loving nomads in a doctrinal grip, track and catch Talia and Jaz. Using obscure Koranic verses learned in captivity, Talia is able to create enough havoc to secure Jazs release. But the main warlord keeps his focus, forcing Talia to denounce Christianity and accept Islam, which she

does. When told to denounce the ancient oracles, she cant - she is unable to deny her loyalty to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; tribal leaders who strangely connect Jews, Christians, and Muslims to indigenous nations circling the globe. A jittery web-site video portrays her execution. Kyrgyzstan and Arizona mourn her death, but a year later beautiful Jaz brings good news and a unique invitation to the rez. The story is tracked through the eyes of a Jewish consular working in Kyrgyzstan. His mission: to find Talia before moving on to wrap up peace accords in the Middle East.