SYNOPSIS:
An intensely personal yet epic spiritual journey, The Horse Boy follows one Texas couple and their autistic son as they trek on horseback through Outer Mongolia in an attempt to find healing for him. When two-year-old Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson, a writer and former horse trainer, and his wife Kristin Neff, a psychology professor, sought the best possible medical care, but traditional therapies had little effect. Then they discovered that Rowan has a profound affinity for animals—particularly horses—and the family set off on a quest that would change their lives forever.
Directed by Michel Orion Scott, The Horse Boy is part travel adventure, part insight into shamanic healing and part intimate look at the autistic mind. In telling one family’s extraordinary story, the film gives voice to the thousands who display amazing courage and creativity everyday in the battle against this mysterious and heartbreaking epidemic. The filmic companion to Isaacson’s best-selling book of the same name, and a festival favorite, this ravishing documentary odyssey gives insight into how, in life’s darkest moments, one can find the gateway to joy and wonder.
REVIEWS:
“A deeply personal, highly subjective and inarguably thought-provoking story of one family’s quest for a certain kind of peace.”
–Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
“Compelling!...Presents its story via multiple access points: the subject of autism, the notion of alternative healing and the simple travelogue appeal of an excursion to remote, untamed Mongolia...Has the nerve to be spiritual without entering the minefield of faith, and through careful handling, could resonate strongly.”
–Peter Debruge, Variety
“What might have been a glorified story of the failures of western medicine and the condescending construction of an exotic, alluring eastern tradition is, in the hands of director Michel Orion Scott, one of the most engaging, hopeful documentaries I have ever seen.”
–Tom Hall, Indiewire
“For both the parents and the filmmakers, the journey of The Horse Boy was tough and utterly unpredictable, but their act of faith has produced a film that's surprisingly upbeat, evenhanded and imbued with wonder.”
–Kevin Lally, The Hollywood Reporter
