Director James Anaquad Kleinert started filming hard hitting and informative films on the plight of America’s Wild Horses and Public Lands in 2003, producing several international award-winning films. Fourteen years later he is in the final stages of production of his most powerful film yet: Disappointment Valley: A Modern Day Western! This film brings his previous works into a sharp and powerful focus documenting the plight of Wild Horses, public lands and the current conflicts that will affect America’s future generations.
To learn more about this important education film please visit:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/237422647/disappointment-valley-a-modern-day-western
Recent legislation proposed by the Trump administration and passed by the Senate adds a provision that makes it easier for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to “adopt out or transfer” wild horses & burros. In reality, it will allow transferred wild horses & Burros to be euthanized! If Congress approves this request, the mass killing of 46,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities and thousands more (what BLM considers excess) on the range would proceed within the next few months.
The film uncovers controversial issues surrounding wild horse roundups and environmental management by the Bureau of Land Management in rural SW Colorado. Disappointment Valley is a magnificent location, nestled between the lofty San Juan mountains of Colorado and Utah. The Disappointment Valley Wild Horse herd, led by the iconic stallion Traveler and his band of mares, colts and fellies have their world violently interrupted by two traumatic BLM helicopter roundups. This film follows the story of Travelers the Band Stallion; in the process revealing a complex and corruption fraught system involving land managers and those wishing to exploit these public lands for oil, gas and mining resources.
While working to capture this story, the director James Anaquad Kleinert is confronted by multinational corporations whose extraction deals with the Department of Interior are ripe for corruption. Kleinert, determined to tell the story and honor his relationship to a tribe of wild horses, ends up filing a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act, demanding release of documents regarding a government investigation of his filming work. This lawsuit slowly works its way to Federal Court in Washington D.C. Ultimately, the judge sides with Kleinert, setting legal precedent in Federal Law for future wild horses, western public land issues, and the right of the public to full disclosure and Truth!
With support of former policy makers, land management and legal experts, wild horse and environmental advocates, Kleinert has put together a powerful and compelling story that will bring the viewer to tears and joy as justice is won and the guilty exposed.
Kleinert has teamed up with Vanity Fair writer Kurt Brungardt to create a letter writing project titled Letter’s For My Future to inspire kids to be active participants in the democratic process. The focus is on civil discourse, empathetic and deep listening, and thoughtful, fact-based writing.
Kleinert's previous works have received wide acclaim for bringing attention to the plight of America's Wild Horses. Wild Horse Spirit featuring Viggo Mortensen was featured on the Emmy award winning PBS series Natural Heroes. Wild Horses & Renegades featuring Sheryl Crow, Daryl Hannah, Willie Nelson, Congressmen Raul Grijalva, former Director of the BLM Jim Baca & Telluride writer David Glynn appear received international acclaim for investigative journalism, cinematography and was one of the top watched films on the Documentary Channel in 2012. This was a strong start to educating the public, the effort must go wider and greater!
In May 2017, Congress called for accelerated roundups and removal of the last remaining wild horses on public lands and the legal selling of wild horses and burros in holding facilities to second parties (most likely kill buyers). Our motivation is high to finish this film immediately, get it into film festivals and start our social media campaign. We must alert the American people to the threats facing our public lands and the wild horses that call them home.
For more information you can contact Director James Anaquad Kleinert at: [email protected]