Films For Our Future
Horse Boy
Directed by: Michel Orion Scott
(Q&A after screening)
How far would you travel to heal someone you love? An intensely personal yet an epic spiritual
journey, The Horse Boy follows one Texas couple and their autistic son as they trek on horseback
through Outer Mongolia in a desperate attempt to treat his condition with shamanic healing. When
2-year-old Rowan was diagnosed with autism, his parents—Rupert Isaacson, a writer and former
horse trainer, and his wife, Kristin Neff, a psychology professor—sought the best possible medical
care for their son, but traditional therapies had little effect. When they discovered that Rowan had
a profound affinity for animals, particularly horses, the family set off on a quest for a possible cure.
In telling one family’s extraordinary story, the film gives voice to the thousands who display amazing
courage and creativity every day in the battle against this mysterious and heartbreaking epidemic. (93
minutes) Official Selection, 2009 Sundance Film Festival, SilverDocs Film Festival, and HotDocs Film
Festival.
(Q&A after screening)
How far would you travel to heal someone you love? An intensely personal yet an epic spiritual
journey, The Horse Boy follows one Texas couple and their autistic son as they trek on horseback
through Outer Mongolia in a desperate attempt to treat his condition with shamanic healing. When
2-year-old Rowan was diagnosed with autism, his parents—Rupert Isaacson, a writer and former
horse trainer, and his wife, Kristin Neff, a psychology professor—sought the best possible medical
care for their son, but traditional therapies had little effect. When they discovered that Rowan had
a profound affinity for animals, particularly horses, the family set off on a quest for a possible cure.
In telling one family’s extraordinary story, the film gives voice to the thousands who display amazing
courage and creativity every day in the battle against this mysterious and heartbreaking epidemic. (93
minutes) Official Selection, 2009 Sundance Film Festival, SilverDocs Film Festival, and HotDocs Film
Festival.
This program is made possible by the generous
support of
Mendocino Solar Service.
Mendocino Solar Service.
2010 Mendocino Film Festival