Cheyenne Creation Story

FESTIVAL PREMIERE

Doc Short | USA | 6 MINUTES | English

Director: Nellie Whiteman

Cheyenne Creation Story is a short documentary that brings to life the origin story at the heart of the Northern Cheyenne people. This Story tells how Mother Earth, Cheyenne people and all creation was made. For the Cheyenne people, this sacred narrative is not mythology—it is the foundation of identity, culture, and spiritual understanding. Told through oral history, ancestral knowledge, and the Cheyenne language, the film preserves a tradition passed down through generations. Through intimate storytelling and visual reverence, Cheyenne Creation Story invites audiences to witness a deeply rooted cultural legacy that continues to shape the present.

CAST & CREDITS

Director

Nellie Whiteman

Producer

Maddison Whitaker-Barnett

Key Cast

Chief Philip Whiteman

DIRECTORS BIO

Nellie Whiteman is a Northern Cheyenne and Oglala Lakota filmmaker from Lame Deer, Montana, located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. She is currently completing her senior year at Montana State University, where she is majoring in film.

Her latest project, Cheyenne Creation Story, is a senior capstone documentary that explores the oral traditions and language of the Cheyenne people. Through this work, she seeks to honor and preserve ancestral narratives with authenticity and cultural integrity.

Looking ahead, Whiteman is committed to creating Fourth Cinema films—stories told by and for Indigenous peoples—that are deeply rooted in her cultural heritage. Her work continues to center Indigenous voices, aiming to educate, inspire, and connect audiences through powerful visual storytelling.

DIRECTORS STATEMENT

Growing up as a Native American, I rarely saw films that featured people who looked like me or came from my background. Even more rarely did I see films that truly represented indigenous peoples. With this film, I want to share our stories from our perspective and reclaim the lens that has often misrepresented us. I’m also deeply passionate about preserving my tribe’s history, ensuring that future generations have access to these unique and important stories.