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 moves away from imposed narratives and toward self-defined, complex, and purposeful stories. Through film, I reclaim authorship of my image, identity, and voice.
'Pretendian' is a fictional work based on real-world experiences, while '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.