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THE COWBOY and THE QUEEN coming soon to Apple TV

Director / Producer Andrea Nevins 
Co Producer / Editor / Writer Graham Clark 
Monty Roberts, renowned Horse Gentler 

Monty Roberts, a nonviolent horse trainer who rejected traditional “breaking” methods, formed an unlikely friendship with Queen Elizabeth II. Bonding over their shared love for animals, they overcome Monty’s doubters to broadcast his gentle approach globally. From Academy Award Nominee Andrea Nevins, this uplifting film shows how trust can build a better world for both horses and humans.The award-winning documentary film premiered in November 2023 at the Doc NYC film festival and couldn’t be more timely in its message of non-violent training and peaceful interactions than right now.

The film has received significant critical acclaim and awards and was released in theaters in September 2024. The film recently won the 2024 HUMANITAS WINNER and is in theaters and streaming on MasterClass. “Visually stunning. A historical feat.” Daily Nexus“A moving portrait of a friendship.” Santa Barbara Independent“Powerful, moving, and enlightening.” Royals Extra Royal Biographer Sally Bedell Smith called the film “…powerful, moving, and enlightening.”Monty Roberts’ 30+ year friendship is chronicled beautifully by Academy Award Nominee Andrea Nevins.

SYNOPSIS When an old-time California rodeo cowboy discovers a way to train horses non-violently, he is rejected by the traditional horse industry, nearly losing his livelihood, until he meets a most unlikely fairy godmother, Queen Elizabeth II. She challenges him to prove his methods, and by winning her endorsement, she catapults him to world-wide fame.

Monty Roberts’ reflections about why their experiences of World War II as children might have fomented a meeting of the minds at mid-life becomes a rumination on authoritarian norms, as well as on the cumulative effects of small acts of kindness on the greater world. Weaving present day footage, exquisite archival, and never-before-seen moments of Her Majesty found in Monty’s cluttered garage, The Cowboy and The Queen is the inspiring, cinematic origin story of a true horse whisperer and his magical, 30-year relationship with the longest reigning monarch.

DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY – ANDREA NEVINSAndrea Nevins is an Oscar-nominated, Emmy-Award-winning documentary filmmaker with a career-spanning interest in finding hope and humor in the human condition. Her subjects range from punk rockers and professional football players to plastic toy icons, female comedians to iconoclastic cowboys.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT“I met rodeo cowboy Monty Roberts while interviewing him for another story entirely. But no matter how hard I tried to divert him that day, he kept going back to his own epic life history. I drove away from his ranch on the central coast of California and realized I was completely captivated.

This was the film I wanted to make. It was the middle of the pandemic and a month later I would be diagnosed with breast cancer, but despite the masks and fear and all the slings of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, I knew that if I didn’t capture this 87-year old’s life quickly, I might lose the chance. So I convinced my old crew that we’d ascribe to all COVID health restrictions, and, with my family as my support team, making sure I drank enough water and kept a hat on my balding head, we filmed. One reason I felt so passionately was that I, myself, was longing for some elemental truths.

The world had grown politically, environmentally, physically and psychically quite dark. And here was a story of perseverance against the strong winds of a negative prevailing culture. Monty’s iconoclastic, pacifist methods despite a highly authoritarian American Western culture inspired me. And I was struck that it took a woman, a female monarch, to grant him acceptance on a world stage. I loved the fact that these two unlikely allies, people who’d come from seemingly opposite worlds, rodeos and royalty, found common ground, a platform for their beliefs, and an enduring friendship in their shared love of animals.

On one of our last days of filming, Graham Clark, who was doing sound, but had become a writer since our last film together, said he saw the roadmap. He saw clearly where the story could go. So we created a virtual editing room and set about making this movie together. We found our deep dive into Monty’s life through his personal archives, as well as the rich public archival material, to be tremendously moving. As we got to really study Monty’s gentle way of using body language and breathing to “talk” with horses, we found the experience, as so many — including many who’ve experienced deep trauma — who’ve seen Monty work, including The Queen, to be quite healing. We are so excited to share this beautiful story of love and respect, cowboys and queens.” Andrea Blaugrund Nevin