Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West

You will never see wild horses the same after watching this. As a horse lover it was difficult to watch at times. This film shows the true beauty of wild horses and also uncovers the hard truth about what is happening to them. They capture the wild horses true beauty, family bonds, and personalities perfectly. You can't help but fall in love with them, which in turn leaves you feeling sad knowing what their future holds. Movies like this leave us wanting to get up off of our couch and head straight to the Capital to demand change. It is a must watch for anyone who cares about horses, animals, our environment, and doing what's right.

This original film juxtaposes a breathtaking cinematic journey with the horrific cruelty of our government, framing the expose through the lens of passionate filmmakers and the subject of the battle: horses. However, this film is not just an ode the majesty of the horse (although it certainly encapsulates their remarkable wisdom and family bonds). It is a plea, similar to Anna Sewell's novel which inspired the journey, to preserve the wildness in our country and world before the effects of millionaires' greed become permanent. The film implores the public to protect our lands by reclaiming our rightful voice in government. After watching dream-like utopian visuals contrasted with equally surreal dystopian ones, the viewer feels compelled to heed their call to action.

This is a gorgeously shot documentary carried by an impassioned narrative. Really eye-opening and moving. The brutal roundups of dwindling herds of wild horses at huge taxpayer expense, in order to serve the beef industry and its cohorts - it's outrageous! And how many of us would have ever known, were it not for these intrepid filmmakers? This movie is about so much more than horses (though there is much for horse lovers to swoon over). It's about the scourge of duplicitous human greed on our country's wild, most iconic habitat - placing profits above life, family, and ecological balance. What a fine work of investigative filmmaking!

I have been following Ashley Avis journey creating this magnificent film about the wild mustangs for years now. She captures the harsh reality of the BLM round ups with stunning accuracy. The tragedy of these majestic creatures stolen from their natural habitat is that future generations might not know the inspiring freedom that a wild horse embodies! Ironically, the symbolism of the United States being connected to 'freedom' is tied in with wild mustangs, yet they are being rounded up at an unprecedented rate by our own US government. I am incredibly grateful that endless hours of dedication and devotion was poured into this film and hope that it helps the public realize what a treasure the wild mustangs are, before it's too late! Please share this message about the wild ones with your friends and family for the future of the Earth, future generations and for these unique animals!

This is an exquisitely written, paced, and executed film, bringing the plight of wild mustangs on public lands into sharp relief, without overbearingly portraying the hidden physical and emotional toll these animals face on a regular basis. Avis's film is a perfect blend of science, history, and art, shining a bright light on the BLM's decades-long scapegoating of these horses and burros for corporate greed, and putting the story in a proper conservation context. In rightly humanizing the horses as families and individuals, this is the most impactful animal welfare documentary I have seen since My Octopus Teacher. I can't wait to see more from this director and production team.