Saving the American Wild Horse

Documentary Channel will showcase the U.S. television premiere of "Saving the American Wild Horse" -- a poignant documentary directed by Emmy® Award-winning documentary filmmaker, James Kleinert -- on the network's "Primetime Premieres" programming block Monday, July 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Produced by Moving Cloud Productions, the film features Academy Award®-nominee Viggo Mortensen and Grammy® Award-winner Sheryl Crow and is narrated by Emmy® Award-winner Peter Coyote. DOC is available on DISH Network (Channel 197), and several broadcast stations in major markets including NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout the greater New York metropolitan area.

Keinert's 27-minute documentary short examines the politics behind the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) controversial policies regarding wild horses on public lands and questions the fate of America's wild horses and burros, whose very existence is in jeopardy. The original score features music by Rick Allen (drummer of Def Leppard), singer-songwriter Lauren Monroe, Craig Sutter, Keith Secola, Robert Mirabel and Preston Pope.

Featuring interviews with scientific experts, ranchers, historians, wild horse owners, animal rights activists, environmentalists and others, "Saving the American Wild Horse" examines the origins and effects of the recent "Burns Bill," which gutted the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971 and cleared the way for slaughter and removal of a vast majority of the wild horse herds. The film exposes the current massive Western land grab by oil, gas and mining corporations exploiting more than 30 million acres of natural Western lands in the areas of New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and others. As a result, the current land exploitation is affecting all wild life species including the American wild horse.

"My interest in documenting American's wild horses began while working on my film 'Spirit Riders' about the birth of an American Indian peace movement, as well as learning about the removal of these beautiful wild animals while living in Wyoming," says Kleinert. "I'm excited for the opportunity to share my five year journey on Documentary Channel, and I hope this film will not only educate viewers about the disturbing, massive removal of our horses but to inspire change to the future of these precious animals."

"We're pleased with the opportunity to bring James Kleinert's compelling work on the state of our diminishing wild horse population to a primetime television audience for the first time," says Tom Neff, founder and CEO, Documentary Channel. "With the help of several talented entertainment stars, Kleinert's film is a remarkable effort to bring this issue to the forefront of the American consciousness, and we believe our viewers will be astounded by his dramatic footage."