GEORGETOWN, TEXAS – The 2018 EQUUS Film Festival, held at the WYTHE Hotel and Cinema in New York, Nov. 30- Dec. 2, showcased talented filmmakers from all over the world. There were many awards for various categories, and the Mustang Heritage Foundation won in four of them.
“It was exciting to be a part of the EQUUS Film Festival,” said MHF Executive Director Kali Sublett. “It is a great way to showcase all that is happening in the equine industry as well as a unique way for us to share the message of mustang training and ownership through our work with Veterans. We were honored to receive so many awards for our efforts.”
The EQUUS Film Festival was created to highlight and award diverse and creative efforts of those who artistically pay homage to the horse. The festival empowers storytellers to show the history and diverse tapestry of horses in human culture through equestrian content. They have feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, commercials, training education materials, art and literature.
The Mustang Heritage Foundation’s Virtual Reality (VR) video for the America’s Mustang program placed first in Equestrian Virtual Reality and Equestrian Commercial – Mini. The VR video takes the viewer from where they are to standing in the wild with mustangs. They are able to see the conditions in which mustangs live and how they interact with each other. Working closely with VR filmmaker Greg Hughs, of Big Look Productions, MHF developed the virtual reality experience that not only entertains but also educates viewers.
“VR is a terrific medium when you want to capture a viewer’s attention and pull them into your world,” said Manroe. “It’s one thing to create a traditional video that people can watch on a TV or computer screen, get distracted and look away. It’s quite another thing for a viewer to put on a headset and get transported to the middle of the desert and see the environment for themselves.”
The final video, also produced by Manroe, is titled Honoring Veterans Honoring Mustangs and placed first in the Horses Helping Humans Short category and Equestrian War Horse. This video gives you a glimpse into MHF’s Veterans and Mustangs program to show you how wild mustangs help change the lives of war Veterans. The video is the conclusion to each session and encapsulates the journeys of each of the veteran participants.
“It is such a privilege to be able to capture the life changing experience these veterans have had gentling their wild mustangs,” said Manroe. “The veterans are very open about their experiences and the impact the mustangs have had on their lives and their families.”
Details regarding the 2018 EQUUS Film Festival can be found online at http://www.equusfilmfestival.net/.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation is to create and promote programs and activities that provide information and education about wild horses, elevate their image and desirability, provide opportunities to become involved in the wild horse experience and secure adequate numbers of caring homes for excess horses. Working in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, the Mustang Heritage Foundation is passionate about the successful placement of mustangs into private care so future generations can enjoy this distinctive feature of our American heritage. The Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed over 11,200 mustangs into private care since 2007.