Cressandra Thibodeaux

As an award-winning BIPOC screenwriter and storyteller, I bring a unique perspective to my craft. With an MFA from Columbia University's Film Department in Directing and an MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Screenwriting, I’m passionate about storytelling in numerous forms. Furthermore, I attended law school at the Sturm College of Law at University of Denver, specializing in tribal law. I worked at the Navajo Nation Supreme Court, at the EPA for Energy Development on Tribal Land, and for a small Tribal Law firm in Berkeley, CA.

In addition to my work as a filmmaker, I am also the founder and Executive Director of 14 Pews, a Houston-based microcinema that promotes community engagement through cultural events. My photography series, Shadow Projections, and My Box Series, explore the complexities of human experience, including reproductive rights and the Jungian concept of our shadow selves.

As a Native American woman and a tribal member of the Sault Ste Marie, Michigan tribe of Chippewa Indians, I am dedicated to highlighting the stories of marginalized communities. With my background in tribal law and firsthand experience of seeing violence against Native women, I am passionate about raising awareness of this critical issue. Through my art, I hope to create a dialogue that brings positive change to the communities I represent.