EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival 2017

What do carousel horses, Tibetan ponies, and a dressage mule have in common? They will all be part of the EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival®, September 14-17, at the Roxy Theatre in Missoula, Montana. “The films this year are beautiful and important, and our guest speakers are absolutely fascinating, with a very strong focus on Native American culture and the horse/human bond,” says EIFF founder, Janet Rose.

“The EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival will be at the historic Roxy Theater for registration and most screenings, plus EIFF social events around town including at The Carousel for Missoula, sponsored by BigSkyWriting.com; a Welcome Reception on Friday evening at the Dana Gallery, and Saturday night at The Loft, one of downtown’s hottest watering spots for networking, Montana brews, screenings and great conversation,” she added. “Field trips are also being planned to Horse Haven Montana, a gaited mule ranch and local ‘horse paradises’ like the Six and Nine Mile Valleys.”

Among the films named Official EIFF Selections are Sarah Crowe’s Dyna Does Dressage, which follows the first American mule to compete in the USDF Dressage Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park, Horsefly Films’ Talking to the Air documentary on equine culture in the Mustang region of Tibet, and Kayli Fortun’s Finding Fortune, the true story of the race to save a prized show horse sent to slaughter.

“Horsefly Film’s Sophie (Dia Pegrum) and Jen (Miller) make remarkable, meaningful films,” Rose added. Talking to the Air has been selected for screening at the EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival and is in consideration for the Best Documentary award. “It is a beautiful film with an inspiring message. Missoula has a significant Buddhist community and strong cultural focus at the University of Montana. Such a horse film can reach out to niche audiences who will love and appreciate the opportunity to see it.”

Another Official Selection is Finding Fortune, Kayli Fortun’s true story of a father and daughter’s race to rescue a prized show horse sent to slaughter that won awards at London’s International Filmmaker Festival, Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival, International Independent Film Awards and Glendale International Film Festival. “We appreciated Kayli’s emphasis on the issue of rescue, the great number of horses sold for slaughter, and putting the scope of the issue into perspective,” Rose said.

Winnie’s Cookies, horse cookies created by Carolyn Kooken, president and CEO, has joined as a product sponsor. “The horses love the healthy cookies,” Rose said, adding that a percentage of their sale goes to help Horse Haven Montana. The EQUUS INTERNATIONAL Film Festival is the official outreach project of Horse Haven Montana and has the support of the Paws Up Foundation, SpeedConnect Internet Services, William E. Rideg - Attorney and Equine Legal Specialist, Big SkyWriting.com, the Pegasus Foundation, and Native America Humane Society. Special thanks to international photographer Antonia Wolf for her poster from her Images by Antonia series embodying the 2017 EIFF theme, ‘Icons of the American West – the Global Impact of the Horse.’ Learn more at www.equusinternationalfilmfestival.com.