Columbus Day: An American Farce — a documentary, is a collaborative feature length project in preproduction between Torry Mendoza and Terrance Houle. It exists near the fringe of mockumentary, although it is a genuine documentary exploring important issues of contention, and is established in the depths of satire. This documentary aims to examine the perpetuation of this myth while it continues to be observed as an American Holiday and persists as fact in American history. While exploring its pedagogical roots and historical inaccuracy, Columbus Day: An American Farce will utilize man-on-the-street interviews, along with interviews from academic administrators at the primary, secondary and post-secondary education systems within New York State, as well as interviews with various members and groups from the Italian-American community (Knights of Columbus and the Sons of Italy). The documentary will also approach various members of the American government in an effort to realize the continued perpetuation of a man who not only didn't "discover" America, but was a criminal and perpetrator of genocide as one of America's "own." Columbus Day also resolves to answer the question, "What does Columbus Day mean to you?" and "How do you celebrate Columbus Day?"
Interviews will be conducted by interdisciplinary media artist and Blackfeet Native, Terrance "TJ" Houle as his Indigenous identity, Iiniiwahkiimah (pronounced: ee-nee-wah-kee-mah) or Buffalo Herder. Dressed in only part of his regalia, Iiniiwahkiimah dons a vest -- no shirt, a breachcloth -- no leggings, mocassins and roach with Houle's signature black rimmed glasses. Houle's articulate eloquence and intellectual presence stands in stark contrast to cinema's widely accepted constructs of Native stereotypes.
Columbus Day: An American Farce proposes to end its journey seeking the perspective of the citizens of Italy and Spain after a group of Indigenous individuals land ashore discovering those countries in the name of Indigeneity!
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