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.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
– 16:9 anamorphic transfer, enhanced for widescreen TVs
– 25 minutes of additional interviews with autism experts, including Simon Baron-Cohen and animal behavior expert Dr. Temple Grandin (subject of an upcoming HBO biopic starring Claire Danes)
– Behind-the-scenes and outtake footage of the Isaacsons’ Mongolian journey
– Theatrical trailer
– Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
Review
An extraordinary journey of the heart and spirit, and a stirring testament to parenthood. –Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
A lyrical and stirring meditation on the mystery of autism. –Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
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
Buy Now: The Horse Boy (Documentary)
