“Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be,” a former rodeo star is told in a new trailer for “The Rider.” Chloé Zhao’s award-winning drama is based on a true story and takes place in the aftermath of a tragic and near-fatal accident that leaves the cowboy’s future uncertain. Unwilling to give up his dreams, Brady Blackburn (Brady Jandreau) is committed to literally and figuratively getting back on the horse despite his intense fears and being told, “No more riding. No more rodeos. If you don’t stop your seizures are going to get worse.” He can’t bear the alternative — figuring out who he is outside of the rodeo.

“I believe God gives each of us a purpose,” Brady says in the spot. “For a horse it’s to run across a prairie. For a cowboy it’s to ride.”

“The Rider” took home the top prize at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, and received four Indie Spirit Award nominations. The film marks Zhao’s follow-up to 2015’s “Songs My Brothers Taught Me.” It was while working on her debut feature that Zhao found inspiration for “The Rider.” She was visiting the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota for “Songs My Brothers Taught Me” when she connected with a group of Lakota cowboys including Jandreau. After hearing his story about the accident and his life since then, she was inspired to write “The Rider.”

“I was drawn to a way of life in the heartlands of America that seems to be rapidly disappearing, and I feel very compassionate towards people who refuse to move on and who try to hold on to their way of life and their identity,” Zhao told us.

“The Rider” hits select theaters April 13.