People of the West

The American Dream

A Chumash family uprooted by federal Termination policy moves from reservation life to 1950s Los Angeles, chasing the promise of the “American Dream.” War veteran Robert struggles to reconcile pride in his service with the shame instilled by assimilation, while his wife Deb clings to culture through language and ceremony. Their son Teddy becomes caught between worlds as Hollywood stereotypes and government programs work to erase Native identity. Through loss and defiance, the family wrestles with what it means to belong in a country still trying to erase them.