EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival
Schedule may be subject to change

Icon of the American West,
the Global Impact of the Horse

Missoula, Montana

September 14-17, 2017
The Roxy Theatre – 718 South Higgins Avenue, downtown Missoula

Thursday, September 14
A Carousel for Missoula
6-7:30pm

Come & Ride the Wild Ponies:  Opening Event for EIFF 2017
Missoula Carousel in Caras Park
EIFF Free Community Event
This is a Community Welcome event with great, local refreshments right off the farm!
Free Carousel Pony Rides
Pick up a festival program, meet some of the filmmakers, and maybe a real horse or two
Posters, Programs & Festival Information will be available
Sponsored by Red Hen Farm & Orchard, Peters Landscaping & Design, and BigSkyWriting.com

Friday, September 15
The Roxy Theater

9:30-10am
Registration at the Roxy

9:30am
Music Video – Finalist featuring “Whisper” highlighting the Equine/Human Bond
Monty Roberts Productions
Run Time:  2:44 minutes

9:45am
Special Welcome & Presentation:  Diana Webster, Founder/Director
The Native America Humane Society

Film Screenings
10-10:15am
“Indian Relay Racing”
(America’s oldest sport, it is also one of the most exciting and most dangerous, but its emphasis is also on the safety of the horse, the participants and the spectators.)
Run Time:  11:00 minutes

10:30-11am
“Badger Creek”
Badger Creek is a portrait of Native resilience as seen through a year in the life of three generations of a Blackfeet family.  Introduced by Executive Producer,  Rhea Ashmore & Cinematographer, Doug Hawes Davis
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

11:15am-Noon
Special Presentation
What Equines & Other Animals Can Teach Us About Mindfulness
Presenter
Dr. Michael Yellow Bird, Director
Tribal & Indigenous People’s Studies at North Dakota State Univ.

Noon-1pm
“Palm Island:  Horse Sense for People” – Finalist
U.S. Premier
Monty Roberts was called in to help save wild horses on Palm Island, Australia.  When he arrived, he began to work with local Aboriginal youth and as they learned Join Up, so much in their lives began to change.
Run Time:  45:00 minutes

1-1:05pm
“The Girl and the Horse”
Written, directed & animated by Rebecca Manley. A small girl is crying because there is a hole in her stomach, suddenly a mysterious horse appears and things begin to change.
A charming message and a great little animated film for all ages
Run Time:  3:14 minutes

1:05-1:35pm
“The Wild Ones”
A group of teens begin an alternative learning program at a horse rescue and sanctuary
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

1:35-2:35pm
“El Caballo-The Wild Horses of North America”
EL CABALLO documents one of the most complex wildlife management issues today.  Introduced by Producer, Doug Hawes-Davis
Run Time:  54:00 minutes

2:45-3:30pm
“Blind Spot:  Moments Unseen”
Follow the epic journey of three visually impaired horseback riders, into Argentina’s mountain trails of Patagonia, introduced by Canadian Filmmaker & Equestrian,
Stefan Morel
Finalist for Most Inspirational Documentary
Q&A to follow
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

3:30-4:30pm
“Talking to the Air:  Horses of the Last Forbidden Kingdom
In modern society, horse ownership is often regarded as a luxury of the wealthy or the hobby of eccentrics.  But high in the Himalayas of Nepal, the Lo people of Mustang still depend on the horse for their survival and place the equine at the center of their Tibetan-placed culture and spiritual life.  These unique peoples and their struggle against globalization, are at the heart of a beautiful documentary by Horsefly Films’ Rare Equine Trust.  Filmmaker Sophie de Pegrum will introduce the film.
Finalist-Best Documentary Feature
Run Time:  58:00 minutes

6-8pm
Welcome Reception at the beautiful Dana Gallery on Higgins Avenue, Missoula
Co-Sponsored by the Native America Humane Society & The Humane Society of the U.S.
Gourmet Pizza/ Italian Antipasto; No-Host Bar, speical thanks to Marvin’s Bar

Saturday, September 16
The Roxy Theatre

9:30am-10am
Registration at the Roxy

10am-10:30am
“ECIR:  No Laminitis”
Equine caregivers discuss the consequences of laminitis due to uncontrolled metabolic conditions and their results, when using the ECIR Group protocol – Diagnosis, Diet, Trim and Exercise.  Q&A before/after w/ Laminitis experts
Finalist for Best Equine Health
Run Time:  8:00 minutes

10:30am-11am
“The Wild Ones”
A group of teens begin an alternative learning program at a horse rescue and sanctuary
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

11am-Noon
“Sacred Ground: Newport International Polo Series”
A brilliantly edited narrative captures the story of Sacred Ground, about the beloved Newport International Polo Series, produced by BCN Productions
Finalist for Best Independent
Run Time:  70:00 minutes

Noon-1pm
“Dyna Does Dressage“
“Dyna Does Dressage” is a documentary about the first mule ever to compete at the national level in the competitive equestrian sport of Dressage. This is an incredible story about Heart B Dyna’s journey.
Finalist Film
Run Time:

Alternate:  “Chris Irwin, Horse Sense for the Modern World”

1-2pm
“Shy Boy”
20^th Anniversary of the film and the mustang that virtually started it all in training wild mustangs.  A Monty Roberts Production and Finalist for Best Equine/Human Bond & Best Training
Run Time:  55:00 minutes

2-3pm
Special Presentation
Native, Natural & Part of Our Heritage, the Wild Horse Issue
Featuring:
Gillian Lyons, HSUS Senior Wildlife Fertility Control Policy Manager
Kimberly Frank, Executive Director, The Science & Conservation Center

3-4pm
Special Presentation
Sacred Connections:  Healing through Horses
Moderator:  Kristie Johnson (Navajo)
Featuring:  John Spence (Gros Ventre Sioux , Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Inc. & Thomas Smittle 

4-5pm
A Monty Roberts Special Retrospective featuring the best of Monty Roberts Series:
Equus Online University:  Veterans Join Up with Veterans – Run Time: 7:32 minutes
Letters to Monty – Run Time:  2:42 minutes
Backstage Pass:  Extremely Headshy – Run Time:  23:00 minutes
Whisper: Music Video – Run Time:  2:44 minutes

5-6pm
PRE-AWARDS Reception at the Roxy Theater
Special Thanks to the Good Food Store, Black Cat Bakery and Wheat Montana
Beer & Wine Available at the Roxy Theatre

6-7pm
“Herd”
Together.  It all starts with pain.  We learn from the herd that when one suffers, we all suffer.  We’re all here to heal together.  “Herd” explores how horses can guide us to heal the chaos within our lives.  Introduced by filmmaker Stefan Morel.  “Herd” was filmed entirely on location at an Equinisity Retreat on over 300 acres of sacred land near Kamloops, British Columbia.
Finalist for Best Documentary
Run Time:  52:00 minutes

7-8pm
Film Festival Awards – Roxy Theatre

8-9pm – MONTY ROBERTS & SMOKE ELSER
Icon and Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Monty Roberts will receive the first-ever ICON Award
Smoke Elser will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by Back Country Horsemen of Missoula & EIFF
Advance Tickets through the Roxy Theatre include film screenings prior to the event and all events from 4pm-9pm

 

Sunday, September 17

9am-11am:  Must sign up in advance.  Transportation provided.
Field Trip with Smoke Elser, Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Spend the morning with one of the most renowned outfitters and mule trainers in the world.  Smoke Elser has traveled the world, working with governments, special ops, Navy Seals, and thousands of individuals, training them in working with mules, training mules to go into some of the most regions of the world.  A Montanan through and through, we’ll visit Smoke’s “Barn” full of memorabilia and the stuff of back country travel, meet some of his mules, and learn how he got his name.
Transportation provided; pre-registration required
Meet in front of the Roxy Theatre at 9am
Fee:  $20 or included in Full Delegate Registration

Film Screenings at the Roxy Theatre, 718 S Higgins Avenue, downtown Missoula

11am-12pm
“Dyna Does Dressage”
“Dyna Does Dressage” is a documentary about the first mule ever to compete at the national level in the competitive equestrian sport of Dressage. This is an incredible story about Heart B Dyna’s journey.
Finalist Film
Run Time:

12pm-1pm
“Finding Fortune” (all ages)
A man and his daughter have lost their wife/mother, and are about to lose their farm. Their hopes lay in the unborn foal sired by a famous stallion who has just passed. When their pregnant mare is placed on a trailer to a slaughterhouse instead of back to their farm – Finalist
Run Time: 48:00 minutes

1pm-1:05pm
“The Girl and the Horse”
Written, directed & animated by Rebecca Manley. A small girl is crying because there is a hole in her stomach, suddenly a mysterious horse appears and things begin to change.
A charming message and a great little animated film for all ages
Run Time:  3:14 minutes

1:10am-2pm
“Horse Shelter Diaries”
Horse Shelter Diaries follows 9 horse trainers who take 8 Shelter horses that have never been saddled and ridden, train them for 100 days, then compete in an event called Gimme Shelter: Trainers’ Rally for Rescues at the National Day of the Cowboy. Over 1200 people came out to see what a difference a little training can make in the lives of these horses. The horses were then auctioned to pre-approved, qualified bidders and went to their new homes – Finalist
Run Time:  65:00 minutes

2pm-2:30pm
“Blind Spot:  Moments Unseen”
Follow the epic journey of three visually impaired horseback riders, into Argentina’s mountain trails of Patagonia, introduced by Canadian Filmmaker & Equestrian, Stefan Morel
Finalist for Most Inspirational Documentary
Q&A to follow
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

2:30-3:30pm
“Talking to the Air:  Horses of the Last Forbidden Kingdom
In modern society, horse ownership is often regarded as a luxury of the wealthy or the hobby of eccentrics.  But high in the Himalayas of Nepal, the Lo people of Mustang still depend on the horse for their survival and place the equine at the center of their Tibetan-placed culture and spiritual life.  These unique peoples and their struggle against globalization, are at the heart of a beautiful documentary by Horsefly Films’ Rare Equine Trust.  Filmmaker Sophie de Pegrum will introduce the film.
Finalist-Best Documentary Feature
Run Time:  58:00 minutes

3:30pm-4pm
“From the Kill Pen”
Horse slaughter exposed:  Whatever your perspective or view, From the Kill Pen exposes a grim view of the slaughter industry with excellent reporting and videography
PLEASE NOTE:  CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Run Time:  30:00 minutes

4pm-6pm
“The Caravan” – Finalist for Equine/Human Bond
“Caravan” follows the exploits of an eclectic group of international carriage drivers and horse riders as they journey across the American south from California to Florida over 5 months and 2,500 miles.  Leading this group of relative strangers is Gerard Paagman with his team of elegant Friesian horses  featured in The Hunger Games – Catching Fire. Challenging the limits of disability is Michael Muir, Great Grandson of the visionary John Muir, Father of the National Parks and co-founder the Sierra Club conservation movement in the U.S.
Run Time:  1:45 (105 minutes)

8pm-Until
Almost After Party at The Loft in downtown Missoula; 119 West Main Street
Join us for a Festival Closing Night Party at The Loft