Description

Director James Anaquad Kleinert’s films investigate the heart of the American West. They focus on environmental preservation, preserving the last of America’s Wild Horses & Burros, spirituality & American Indian culture. His work brings attention to the desperate plight of America’s iconic wild horses, as multi-national corporate greed strips away their legal & environmental protections, a direct mirror to those same rights being stripped away from ordinary citizens. James Anaquad has been described as one of the most revealing, hard-hitting documentary filmmakers in the American West. His documentary style specializes in outdoor action cinematography informed from his history with extreme skiing to Native horseback riding, wild horses, government - corporate collusion & corruption and much more. Anaquad’s way of life is closely connected to the landscapes and subjects he films in projects that stand up for Mother Earth, wildlife species, environmental, Constitutional & American Indian rights. He lives & roams the American West continuously documenting the beauty and tragedy of what is unfolding in our Western landscapes. His legal action filing a Freedom of Information Act request for his investigative documentary work Won a critical precedent-setting federal court victory in Kleinert v. Bureau of Land Management. Westlaw published the case (2015 WL 5675792) and it is now legal standing. This precedent will allow future documentarians, journalists and citizens the right to the Truth! Living and thriving in Western landscapes as a horsemen and filmmaker gives Anaquad a connection to the environment and his subjects that can rarely be obtained.

NATIVE HORSE (2024) Film is currently airing on PBS in partnership with Vision Maker Media & CPB & NETA.. Kleinert is the Producer/Director/Cinematographer/Writer.

MUSTANGS & RENEGADES: A Modern Day Western (2020) Director/Cinematographer/Writer Award(s): Rio de Janeiros International Uranium Film Fest / Honorable Mention (2022) Native Cinema Film Festival / Best Documentary (2020) Documentary Impact Awards / Award of Excellence (2020) Accolade Film Festival / Award of Excellence (2020)

NO COUNTRY FOR TRUTH TELLERS (2019) Author = available on Amazon

CENTAUR / DISAPPOINTMENT VALLEY (2016) Director/Cinematographer/Writer Award(s): Winner of Impact DOC Award (2017) Eugene Oregon International Film Festival / Best Cinematography (2017)

HORSE MEDICINE (2005-2020) Director/Cinematographer/Writer

TRANSFORMATION (2016) Director/Cinematographer/Writer

WILD HORSES & RENEGADES (2011) Director/Cinematographer/Writer 2012 Distributed Documentary Channel Award(s): International Wildlife Film Festival / Special Mention in Investigative Journalism, Cinematography and Music/Sound Editing (2011) ITN Film Festival / Best Documentary Feature / Audience Award (2011) Top 10 Overlooked Gems of 2011 - BlogCritics.org LINK: Richard Marcus Movie Review

EDGE OF TELLURIDE (2010) Director/Cinematographer/Writer (2010) 2010-2011 Distributed Outside TV Network

SAVING THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE (2008) Director/Cinematographer (2008) - Documentary Channel (2008 – 2010)

WILD HORSE SPIRIT (2007) Director/Cinematographer 2007 Distributed PBS Natural Heroes Series (Emmy Award winner)

SPIRIT RIDERS (2004) Director/Cinematographer/Writer (2004-2007) 2004-2007 Distributed HBO Companion documentary to “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” (2007) Windsong Film Festival / Best Film of the Year (2006) Indian Summer Film Festival / Award of Distinction (2006) Zion Independent Film Festival / Best Documentary (2006) Durango Film Festival / Best Western Documentary Film (2004)

TOP WINTER OLYMIC ATHLETE PROFILES (2002) = Director/Cinematographer/Writer