WAR PONY / Feature Film / Cannes 2022 (Camera d'Or Winner)

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Directors: Riley Keough and Gina Gammell

Producers: Sacha Ben Harroche, Ryan Zacarias

Casting directors: Eleonore Hendricks and Abby Harri

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WAR PONY follows the interlocking stories of two Lakota boys growing up on Pine Ridge Reservation. At 23, Bill just wants to make something of himself. Whether it’s siphoning gas, delivering goods or breeding poodles, he is determined to hustle his way to the “American Dream.” Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho can’t wait to become a man. Desperate for approval from his young father, a series of impulsive decisions turns Matho’s life upside down and he finds himself unequipped to deal with the harsh realities of the adult world. Bound by their shared search for belonging, each of the boys grapple with identity, family, and loss, as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.  -Cannes Film Festival

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CRITICAL PRAISE for WAR PONY

"War Pony has a naturalness that is to be admired, and comes from places in the heart a movie willed into being by determined first-timers might only be able to achieve. That certainly applies to the overall casting, not just Whiting and Crazy Thunder, but a terrific ensemble who for the most part are all brand new to the camera. The large cast additionally includes Jesse Schmockel, Wilma Colhoff, Iona Red Bear, Woodrow Lone Elk, Ta-Yamni Long Black Cat, Jeremy Corbin Cottier, Steven Yellow Hawk, Manuel Garcia, Xavier Big Crow, Anjeliq Aurora, Jessica Poor Bear, Calista Rae Cottier, Wasose Garcia, Ezekiel Pourier, Ashley Shelton, Stanley Good Voice Elk, and Sioux Bob himself. They all deserve a shout out for making it feel like they have been doing this a long time when in fact they have not. The same goes for Keough and Gammell."  -Pete Hammond, Deadline

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"It has a certain kinship with FX’s stunning “Reservation Dogs” for the way it attempts to make up for missed time with the representation of indigenous youth in American cinema (and that itself should prove there’s a market for more stories like this), but more than that, it features two star-is-born performances from its two young leads, if only someone was willing to take the chance on getting the movie out there."  -Eric Kohn, Indiewire, "The 7 Best Undistributed Films of 2022"

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