The EQUUS Film & Arts Fest is the world’s premier showcase for domestic and International Equestrian Content feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, commercials, training and educational materials, art and literature. In addition to film programming, interesting guest speakers and presenters, informative PANELS and industry workshops. Hosting exhibits and interactive experiences with
horses and trainers. EQUUS Strives to bring a greater awareness and understanding to the unique relationship between horses and the humans who love them. The EQUUS Film Festival host an annual award event highlight and reward the diverse and creative efforts of those in indie film, music, and advertising, who artistically pay homage to the horse through media. We travel with the WINNIE Award winners and other films to TOUR STOPS around the country and in the UK throughout the year. THE FOALING OF THE EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL
The EQUUS Film Festival was first inspired by a boy who had autism.
“My friend Rupert Isaacson had made a truly inspiring documentary in 2009, The Horse Boy, about his family’s journey to Mongolia with his autistic son Rowan. It’s about autism and what people go through every day, the good and the bad. I felt that it was a story that everyone should see. The film shows how horses can play an important role in healing both the body and the mind of all involved,” said EQUUS Film Festival Founder and Director Lisa Diersen. In 2013, Isaacson was invited to be a guest presenter in the equine assisted therapy area at an equestrian expo in St Charles, IL that Diersen was part of. Charles, approached her friend Ron Onesti, owner of the local Arcada Theater, a beautiful vintage theater, to see if they would screen the film while Rupert was in town. Onesti said “Sure.” Diersen asked “What if I can get a few more horse films to screen for the weekend?” Onesti said “Sure, I’ll get you a projectionist,” and so the EQUUS Film Festival was born. Suddenly one film grew into 29, and it became an emotional journey more than just about autism, but also focused on special needs, disabilities and mental health issues, where the horses are the healers and they help people of all ages and backgrounds. It grew into a home for the storytellers of the horse world. From the beginning, Diersen made sure that the films were a cross-section and came from all around the world. Stories about therapy horses in India who are used to work with the victims of human trafficking, race horses in Japan surviving the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster to commercials from Brazil about a horse who wants to be on the Olympic team and everything else in between. In 2014, the EQUUS Film Festival moved to Harlem in New York City and screened over 100 films from 20 countries. Quickly outgrowing the venue in Harlem in 2015 it moved to the Village East Cinema on the upper east side of Manhattan, making its home there in 2016 as well. A Pop-Up Gallery, Directors Panels, Welcome Party, a Literary Corner, Art Gallery and the Li’l Herc Family Fest were added to expand the festival. WINNIE Awards for literature and art were also given out. In 2015, national and international tour stops, where collections of films are showcased, became an extension of the EQUUS Film Festival. At it's annual event in New York City in 2016 EQUUS Film Festival became more up close and personal by showcasing the close to 100 filmmakers, authors and artists who attended from all over the world on stage, each taking a few minutes to talk about their work to the 300 guests at the annual Welcome Party.
“Watching Diana De Rosa introduce each and every filmmaker, author and artist who had joined us, listening to them talk about their projects and seeing the long line of speakers waiting to be introduced was exhilarating and inspiring, it made me so very proud of what has been created and brought tears to my eyes.” remarked Diersen. RIDE TV was on the scene in 2016 creating an hour-long documentary about the EQUUS Film Festival and the filmmakers, panelist, storytellers and artists who came together for the love of the horse. RIDE TV Documentary – January 2017
https://vimeo.com/205968794 Password: Please PM for code
Dressage Today – Karen Brittle – March 2017
http://dressagetoday.com/lifestyle/equus-film-festival-55089
“In 2014, when I heard about the film festival being held in New York City, I wore my equine journalist hat and went to cover it. I was truly impressed with Lisa’s vision. Afterwards, Lisa and I got to talking and now we talk almost every day because we love knowing that all these creative people have a place where they can be recognized for their hard work,” commented De Rosa. In 2017, the EQUUS Film Festival will not only continue with its annual awards event, but tour stops will take place in Camden, SC; in Baltimore, MD; internationally at a film festival in France; at the TRYON International Film Festival in Tryon, North Carolina; Madras, Oregon; Marfa, Texas, Santa Fe, New Mexico and a host of other locations. For more about the EQUUS Film Festival, visit the website at www.equusfilmfestival.net or friend them on facebook at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquusFilmFestivalNYC/. ABOUT THE EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL
Fifth annual EQUUS Film Festival took place November 16-19 and is the first event of its kind to offer a home to the storytellers of the horse world. In addition to documentaries, educational and feature films, the EQUUS Film Festival includes music videos, art films, series and commercials. Equestrian films that cover everything from equine assisted mental and physical therapy, that will warm your heart and bring tears to your eyes, to documentaries that tackle the tough issues facing our horses today, Wild Horse Resolution and A Back Country Recovery are classic examples of these films. Albion, the Enchanted Stallion, Out of The Wild, Running Wild and Unbridled are some examples of films that premiered at this annual event.
“Our goal is to both entertain and educate people about the many issues horses face today. To show how horses are helping us on the path to healing, they are here to fill our hearts and souls with happiness,” said Diersen. Together, we endeavor to better the world for horses. https://www.facebook.com/EquusFilmFestivalNYC
