SOPHIE PEGRUM - DIRECTOR

On a filmmaking journey in 2011 I was drawn to a beautiful book of watercolors in a Kathmandu bookshop. "EARTH DOOR SKY DOOR" was a book of sublime paintings of Mustang by Robert Powell and launched me into an incredible journey of learning and research about this remote and ancient Kingdom, about which I knew nothing. Over the next couple of years I was lucky to attract a great team to help produce the film and eventually, after a very challenging journey, was allowed very privileged access into this stunning and sensitive region. Despite the short time we could shoot, we came back with powerfulfilm which takes a very different look into a culture on the verge of change. The film was crafted with great effort and the generosity of many, and I want to make sure that it is finished and polished to the level which I believe it deserves. It is key that we use the film as a tool to raise awareness for this fragile place to promote careful conservation, and importantly, pride for this often overlooked cultural treasure. Humankind owes the equine an immeasurable debt, and this film is made in part, to honor their immense contribution to our lives and culture.

JEN MILLER - PRODUCER

Talking To The Air is a critically-important piece of film history, beautifully documenting what is perhaps the last glimpse into a vanishing horse culture. I feel the story is a reflection of the world at large and the issues we all face in delicately facing the future, whether we are on the mountaintop in Nepal or at home in the cities and towns of everywhere.

I spent years working in the Native American culture and know intimately the tragic tale of the loss of their horse culture. Naturally no film exists of this powerful past— it is utterly lost to us and relegated to the still image. A great similarity can be drawn between the horse culture of the Plains and the horse culture of Mustang and my heart sings to know Talking To The Air will stand as a watershed document of this fading horse society for future generations.

Having not physically taken the journey to Nepal myself, Talking To The Air has taken me there filmically-- the unspooling moving image taking me on a spiritual and intellectual voyage I know it will take all viewers on. This after all is the goal of any documentary-- to reach into our souls and transport us somewhere we didn’t know existed in the world nor in ourselves.

MIRANDA MORTON YAP - PRODUCER

I have known and worked with Sophie for many years and when she approached me about shooting in Mustang, I jumped at the opportunity to experience the forbidden kingdom. Exploring Mustang through the culture of the horse community, we got an insight into a heritage that goes back centuries. It is a culture that is shifting with modern times bringing progress and much change. To have the opportunity to document the lifestyle and community at this time has been a privilege. I feel very honored to be a part of this project and to have been able to work in such a spellbinding and visually stunning place with such a great team of filmmakers. I look forward to bringing this film back to Nepal, where I think it will become an invaluable tool in bringing attention to a society that hangs in such a delicate balance.

THE MISSION OF THE HORSEFLY FILMS RARE EQUINE TRUST

The Horsefly Films Rare Equine Trust is a cinematic library dedicated to exploring diverse cultures, rare equine breeds and unique stories centered around the horse.

Using film as a tool to engage new audiences, the film series captures the beauty, history and fragile position of equines and vanishing equestrian cultures and establishes a necessary and compelling film folio for equine enthusiasts, cultural historians and general audiences.

The Trust's films are being used to rally awareness, build cultural bridges and connect societies with their unique and often endangered equine and ritual heritage.

Our fervent hope is this ongoing film library will contribute to an epic cinematic record that can help transmute these fragile and threatened horse cultures into national treasures to be cherished by local communities and venerated by those of us further afield.

Despite modern technology making horses obsolete for many, the debt to history remains. From the sword to the plowshare, horses are an integral part of who we are, of who we became, and it is our duty to preserve that bond.

Using the equine as a central focus on humankind's saga brings into sharp focus our agrarian and warlike histories, our spiritual connections and the ongoing battle to preserve our unique heritage in the face of rapid globalization.