Pretendian: A True-ish Story
Tagline: A provocative tale of identity and illusion: How far would you go for fame?
Synopsis: Cheyenne, a celebrated actress, has built her career on a fabricated Navajo identity. On the day of her big magazine cover shoot, her deception unravels, and the fallout is swift and public. As the set turns into a stage for her collapse, Cheyenne clings to performance, blurring truth and illusion. In a world obsessed with image, what happens when the mask finally slips?
Director’s Statement:
My filmmaking journey is a movement away from imposed narratives and toward self-defined, complex, and purposeful. Through film, I reclaim authorship of my story, image, identity, and voice. Pretendian is a fictional film based on real-world experiences. Grey is an intimate and introspective film. Together, these two films open a conversation about truth, representation, and the urgent need to dismantle tropes that have long defined Native peoples in film and media. 🔗 Regina Dezbah Simons