19 January 2012 , 11:47 AM by Scott Spark
A new film called Buck won the audience award at Sundance follows the life of Buck Brannaman, a real Horse Whisperer.
Buck Brannaman’s Horse Sense
January 16, 2012 by
NZHerald.CO.NZ
Tuesday, January 17
Peter Calder talks to the original horse whisperer who is now starring in his own movie.
Buck Brannaman, wrangler of troubled horses – and people – is the subject of a brilliant doco. Photo / Supplied
In the classic 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, Jon Voight, a naive would-be gigolo on the mean streets of New York, explains his odd outfit – Stetson and tasselled buckskin jacket – with the line “I ain’t a for-real cowboy. But I am one helluva stud!”
Voight’s character is called Joe Buck and another Buck is the star of the first truly great documentary film to hit cinemas in 2012. And you can’t help thinking that this Buck (surname Brannaman), could have the signature line, “I ain’t a for-real movie star. But I am one helluva cowboy!”
Cinema Eye Audience Choice Award
January 12, 2012 by
Audience Choice PrizeCindy Meehl, Andrea Meditch, Julie Goldman, accept an award onstage during the 5th Annual Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking at the Museum of the Moving Image on January 11, 2012 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images North America)
Realscreen, Of the other winners, the Audience Choice Prize went to Cindy Meehl for BUCK
TheWrap, The Audience Choice Prize went to Cindy Meehl’s “Buck,”
Studio Daily, The Audience Choice Prize went to Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl,
Alt Film Guide, winner(s) were Cindy Meehl’s Buck, which took home the Audience Choice Prize
The Hollywood Reporter on BUCK
January 4, 2012 by
Redford’s Real Horse Whisperer Stars in ‘Buck’ Doc
First-time filmmaker Cindy Meehl makes an Oscar-shortlisted doc on Buck Brannaman, who inspired Robert Redford’s equine classic.
7:48 PM PST 1/4/2012 by Tim Appelo
Cindy Meehl‘s Buck, a Cedar Creek Productions documentary about the amazing, revolutionary, almost spiritual horse trainer Buck Brannaman, made the Oscar shortlist and Roger Ebert‘s list of the Best Documentaries of 2011. Meehl tells The Hollywood Reporter how she made a hit her first time in the director’s saddle. Read complete article >
Movie City News – BUCK in Top Ten for 2011
January 3, 2012 by
Kim Voynar
Cindy Meehl working on BUCK
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Buck, Cindy Meehl
One of the surprises of Sundance, this quiet, modest doc introduces us to the real life model for “The Horse Whisperer,” Buck Brannaman, a man who overcame childhood abuse to become a calm, gentle man who trains horses by treating them with the understanding and compassion with which he wishes his own abusive father had treated him and his brother. One of the most delightful films of any genre last year.
Citizen critics pick BUCK as one of best movies for 2011
January 2, 2012 by
The Union-Tribune’s Citizen Critics sat through a year of movies ranging from the great (“The Help”), to the confusing (“Anonymous”), to the lukewarm (“Larry Crowne”), to the just plain bad (“The Sitter”).
Here are their favorite movies of 2011:
‘Buck’
The movie genre that caught most of my attention this year is the documentary, and from that group my favorite by far was “Buck.” This film about Buck Brannaman the real-life horse whisperer is fabulous. He is an inspiration, not only in his communication, understanding and compassion with horses but also in how he overcame the unbelievable adversity of his abusive childhood. The connection between man and horse is a large focus of the film, but it is also about sensitivity and respect for every living being. Buck’s poetic grace is felt throughout, and it is remarkable to see how truly gifted he is and what an extraordinary life he has created. This is the best 88 minutes I spent in a theater this year!
Horsing around at Sundance: Director Cindy Meehl’s perspective
January 2, 2012 by
Digital Journal Reports | January 2, 2012
Michael Krebs
Andrea Meditch, Julie Goldman, Buck Brannaman, and Cindy Meehl at Sundance 2011
With the 2012 Sundance Film Festival set to begin on January 19, I caught up with Meehl to ask her about experience with “Buck” and about her Sundance perspectives.
KREBS: Often with journalism and with documentary film making the story reshapes the storyteller’s original thought on the subject at hand. And with Buck, the cowboy helps reorient the perspective of a given troubled horse. How did Buck shape you as a director? And when you see the film now, how does he continue to have an impact on you?
MEEHL: Buck actually did a lot to shape me as a director, though I’m sure he does not know it. He has a way of “raising the bar” on everything you do. There is no such thing as too tired, too difficult or not trying your absolute best in his world. Excuses are a joke to him. He’s like the Nike ad ~~ Just Do It! His hard work philosophy and tenacious manner was a big influence on me. Anyone who has ever made a film knows that it is a job full of challenges and choices. It is not for the faint of heart. Knowing his dedication to his work made me work harder than ever to accurately depict him and achieve what it was that I wanted to say in this film. Seeing the film, even now, I still get choked up when I see him riding alone in that field at the end of the film because I know how hard won his success is.
BUCK selected in Alison Gang’s Best Movies of 2011
December 30, 2011 by
SignOnSanDiego.com
December 30, 2011
‘Buck’ Shortlisted for Best Documentary Oscar Nomination
December 29, 2011 by
Brad Estes
SheridanMedia.com 12/29/11
The documentary ‘Buck’, which tells the story of Sheridan-area horse clinician Buck Brannaman, has seen its fair share of accolades since its release, and now it’s being talked about as Oscar-worthy.
Brannaman confirmed Wednesday that they are in the running for “Best Documentary” for the 2011 Oscars, but said that they won’t know until the top five are announced on January 24th. Ballots went out Tuesday for voting.
The film won an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival this past spring, along with being recognized at several others it appeared in overseas.
2011 was an outstanding year for documentaries
December 29, 2011 by
Tallahassee.com
Mark Hinson, Democrat Senior Writer | December 29, 2011
This year contained such a wealth of worthy documentaries that, hey, I decided to turn the spotlight on 10 of the best. It was harder to keep this list to 10 than it was to come up with 10 narrative films. You really can’t go wrong with any of these picks:
3.) “Buck” — Should be required viewing for anyone who owns a horse or has ever ridden one of the planet’s most complicated, iconic and bite-y animals. Thanks to a drunken and abusive father, horse-trainer Buckshot “Buck” Brannaman should have turned out to be one ornery cuss you wouldn’t want to sit next to in a bar. Instead, the beaten child grew up to become a stoic cowboy who identifies with beasts of burden that have been kicked and whipped. First-time filmmaker Cindy Meehl steers clear of making a sappy Oprah-style special and lets the philosophical Buck do the talking. She knows a star when she sees one. (Available on DVD)