Rodeo Queen
Directed by Adrien Cothier
A young rodeo queen from California gets ready to compete for the ultimate pageant, the Miss Rodeo America competition in Las Vegas.
Director’s Statement
As a European filmmaker, my perception of the rodeo world was always filtered through the aesthetic presented to me by Hollywood and the tobacco industry. In each instance, the western culture displayed was strictly dominated by a patriarchal perspective.
During a short trip to Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to come across Rachel's story and her perseverance into becoming Miss Rodeo California. Her focus and determination to find her place in the western society was truly beautiful and inspiring. I was instantly fascinated by her world and its unexpected intersection of two competitive disciplines: beauty pageant and rodeo.
I knew that if I were to document this subculture, it would have to be through Rachel's eyes and perspective. Only through her experience would I find a fresh and personal approach to the western way of life hoping to reveal a different aspect of this world.
By the end, Rodeo Queen became a cinematic tale about a unique case of female empowerment in a traditional American landscape.