Your chance to Binge Watch the Best Horse Films in the World-and meet the Film Makers!
2018 EQUUS Film Festival Program
FRIDAY JANUARY 25, 2019 WORLD OF PETS SCHEDULE
2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Maryland State Fairgrounds
2200 York Road
Timonium, MD 21093
www.equusfilmfestival.net 630-272-3077
Tickets
2:00 pm
WILD HORSE ROAD TRIP BRINGING HOME THE SOUL SISTER MUSTANGS (2018) USA
59:00 min / Directed by: Mary Jordan
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/wildhorseroadtrip
Join an adventure in 'Trusting More' as one wild family takes off across the United States in an RV named 'Grace' to adopt two bonded wild Mustang mares, the 'Soul Sisters', and bring them back to their forever home.
3:05 pm
OBSTACLES THE ROAD TO RIO (2018) NETHERLANDS
48:00 min / Directed by: Annette van Trigt
Trailer: N/A
Equestrian Director – International
An insight into the world of triathlon for horses. Follow Dutch best eventer Tim Lips and his father Martin, the national coach, as they prepare for the Olympic Games. Experience the unique pressure and disappointments of this environment as the both of them try to deliver the best results possible.
4:00 pm
HIS NAME IS MIDNIGHT (2018) USA
28:05 min / Directed by: Kelly Colbert
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/143494282
The true story of a horse, a prince of Big Sky Country, who was bred for strength and rodeo glory but discarded through a chain of events to auction and, ultimately, human cruelty. His name and his lineage were forgotten. But his royal pedigree and his upbringing in the Badlands of Montana instilled in him the strength and tenacity that allowed him to survive his journey through neglect and starvation until he was found and his name and heritage rediscovered.
4:30 pm
THE CALIFORNIA VAQUERO JEFF SANDERS (2018) IRELAND
40:21 min / Directed by: Elaine Heney
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9-YygGGd-A
Jeff Sanders is a sixth generation Californian horseman. Jeff travels around the world teaching horsemanship and preserving the traditions of old Spanish California. This is his documentary.
84:00 min / Directed by: Ron Davis (Harry & Snowman)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQrQChIgV-M
LIFE IN THE DOG HOUSE tells the inspiring life stories of Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta and the remarkable work they do at Danny & Ron’s Rescue. Ten years and 10,000 dogs later, their unique approach to life and dog rescue will capture hearts and inspire millions to make the right choices when it comes to mans best friend.
2018 EQUUS Film Festival
SATURDAY JANUARY 26, 2019 WORLD OF PETS SCHEDULE
10:00 am – 7:00 pm
10:00 am
THE KNABSTRUPPER HORSE HUNTING FOR THE OLD GENES (2018) DENMARK
90:00 min / Directed by: Irene G. Scholten
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/295545773
"Join a dynamic and fascinating tour of discovery around Europe and get the story about this unique horse breed. We visit prehistoric caves in France, Royal Castles in Denmark. We follow dedicated breeders in Denmark and Germany, hunting the genes that can save this ancient Danish horse, The Knabstrupper horse, from total extinction! This is the very first Danish Documentary about the Knabstrupper Horse. With only around 350 living species left on our globe in its original form, its on the edge of extinction. Through decades a small handful of committed people in both Denmark and Germany have been working hard to reverse this horrible future prospect – they have tried to save the horse through targeted pure breeding – a task which is not an easy one!"
11:40 am
HORSE – Music Video (5:00 min) JAR
PROJECT ARROWHEAD – Short Film (5:00 min) - JAR
SAVING THE MUSTANG: AMERICA’S HORSE ON THE BRINK (2018) CANADA
52:03 min / Directed by: Albert Botha
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB2A8dauhK0
Equestrian Documentary – Full Length (over 30 minutes)
Wild mustangs have long been an icon of native peoples and early settlers of North America. Yet their fate today is uncertain. SAVING THE MUSTANG explores the state of wild horses today through the efforts of three individuals: Canadian horseman Randy Bird who adopted eight mustangs from a crowded facility in Wyoming and brought them 3000 miles to their new home - his ranch near Cobourg Ontario; Endurance rider and song-writer Jean Albert Renaud, "JAR" who works with horses and at-risk teens on his Maryland ranch, helping youth who are often gang members to escape their brutal life; and Roger William, past chief of the First Nation Xeni Gwet'in, who have created a 200,000 hectare wild horse preserve in the pristine and rugged wilderness of the Nemiah Valley deep in the interior of British Columbia. All three stories interweave a compelling tale of perseverance and determination -- one that offers hope for these amazing animals.
12:40 pm
THE GREAT FLIP OFF (2018) USA
95:00 min / Directed by: Dafna Yachin
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/226467449
The Great Flip-Off follows extreme circus bareback riding families in what may be their final feat against the loss of their livelihood and the death of their art form. Join these legendary families from Italy, Mexico, Hungary and France as they bring the history, risk and beauty of the original circus act to a multi-generational audience, one last time in Orlando, Florida. Then, return 10 years later to discover how these families have dealt with the passing of time in a range of unusual happy endings and ultimate heartbreak. In 2006, we meet the best-of-the-best bareback artists past and present — The Donnerts, the Turveys, The Suarezes, the Zamperla-Zoppes, Timi Loyal and Mark Karoly. Each family holds a unique place in American circus riding history. They are competitors that agree to unite for a one night performance for the sake of keeping their art alive. From the seventh generation Italian Zamperla Zoppes, to the Donnerts who escaped from communist Hungary to the Loyals of London who joined forces with the Mexican Suarez family, not only will their bold skill draw you in, but the interpersonal portrait of their family will capture your heart and submerge you into a fascinating world. Jumping through flaming hoops and executing somersaults high into the big top while bareback on magnificent steeds does not make them flinch. For these families, fear is not felt at the face of their daring stunts, but rather at the pending unknown: their future without a ring. Fast-forward to 2016. Pushed by the modern climate, elephants are banned from the circus and the Big Top landscape is altered once again. It’s a new era when animal rights are in full swing, and the most successful circuses leave behind animal acts, along with the financial burden associated with animal care and travel. We reunite with the bareback riding families 10 years later to find out how they’ve dealt with these changes, mere months before Ringling announces the closure of the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus after 146 years. The fate of the American Circus seems almost certain, leaving the future of bareback riding more ambiguous than ever.
2:15 pm
FIN & FEATHER COLLECTION FROM FILMMAKER BEN MASTERS
30:00 min / Directed by: Ben Masters
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/159153706
UnBranded Trailer – 2:00 min
Wildlife & The Wall – 5:00 min
Lions Of West Texas – 7:30 min
Back Country Recovery – 6:00 min
Water From Stone – 8:00 min
Wild Horse Resolution – 6:00 min
2:45 pm
BOY NOMAD (2018) CANADA
21:00 min / Directed by: Niobe Thompson & Dennis Wells
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/283935897
Short film BOY NOMAD follows a year in the life of 9-year old Janibek, who lives with his family in Mongolia’s the Altai Mountains. His first love is racing horses, but this winter, his father will bring him on the toughest journey in a nomad’s life: the winter migration. When the film crew arrives, they discover the Altai is gripped by a “zhut”, a hard winter that blocks the passes and threatens to wipe out the family’s only possession: their animals.
3:15 pm
PATAGONIA BY HORSEBACK (2018) USA
5:00 min / Directed by: Lindsay Blatt
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/289470300
"Patagonia By Horseback” a short film by Lindsay Blatt, follows a group of women who ventured by horseback into the rugged heart of the Andes on a 7-day pack trip. This beautiful film captures the connection between horse and rider that results from days being spent moving through the Andes, sleeping on the ground, and cooking over campfire.
3:20 pm
THE GOBI GALLOP A DOCUMENTARY (2018) CANADA
70:00 min / Directed by: Bree Von Bradsky
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/285730970
A look at the intrepid riders taking on the challenge of the longest annual charity horseback ride on the planet. With 12 riders and their Mongolian ground crew it is an adventure laced with all the unpredictable twists that only Mongolia can throw at you. Magnificent horses, amazing culture, epic adventurers make this captivating story of undertaking incredible hardship to help some of the most impoverished children on the planet.
4:30 pm
A PONY AND HIS BOY THE STORY OF BERRY & JOSH (2018) USA
20:00 min / Directed by: Julianne Neal
Trailer: N/A
SPOTLIGHT Rescue Series - Julianne Neal - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – 803-351-0223
“A Pony and His Boy: The Story of Berry & Josh” shows the power of a pony and the effect that he has had on one small boy. Josh, a young boy with Down Syndrome, had been afraid of animals, especially horses, until one summer afternoon when walking in the pasture full of horses with his mom and Lisa he wa asked"Do you want to ride?" When he surprisingly said yes, they caught him off guard, swept him up and placed him on Berry. The relationship that started between Berry and Josh that day has been life-changing, not only for Josh, but for everyone who loves him. Filmed in Illinois, North and South Carolina, plus featuring both heartfelt testimonials and informative interviews, “A Pony and His Boy” is a testament to the power of the horse.
5:00 pm
DESERT FLIGHT (2018) USA
40:00 min / Directed by: Ryan Koral
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/268079001
A love letter to the sport of show jumping, DESERT FLIGHT is a documentary short film that explores the unique relationship with the horse and why people dedicate so much to the equestrian life. Filmmaker and show jumper Samia Staehle’s goal was to capture the visceral way in which horses enrich our lives and heighten our senses. The film showcases the amazing kind of people that horses always seem to attract: individuals of enormous character, possessed of infinite work ethic, and often a very sharp sense of humor. Set in Thermal, California the dry beauty of the desert and the horse show’s hidden dusty trails are reminiscent of her one-time home in India, a land of adventure and freedom. DESERT FLIGHT was shot with two-cameras over three-weeks by Tell Studios. Their crew from metropolitan Detroit with nearly zero experience with horses was set loose on the horse world, not without some trepidation from Staehle and her husband Daryl, the picture’s Executive Producer. There was no script, only the mandate to go and find out what drives these horse people to do what they do every day. The result was DESERT FLIGHT.
5:45 pm
BOW WOW FILM FEST (2018)USA
15:00 min / Directed by: Assorted Directors
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LtFf67-QWs
6:45 pm
LIFE IN THE DOGHOUSE (2018) USA
84:00 min / Directed by: Ron Davis (Harry & Snowman)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQrQChIgV-M
LIFE IN THE DOG HOUSE tells the inspiring life stories of Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta and the remarkable work they do at Danny & Ron’s Rescue. Ten years and 10,000 dogs later, their unique approach to life and dog rescue will capture hearts and inspire millions to make the right choices when it comes to mans best friend.
