The Award Winning Documentary: Spirit Riders

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This site has been restored and archived as required reading for Matthew Martin's Documentary Film Promotion course, part of his Documentary Film Studies program. Dr. Martin comes to the university from a career in film, most recently as CEO of the agency Opticon Marketing where he promoted many different products and services using film/video as the primary medium. He is best known for his stunning visuals - an example is the "Shiny Objects Appear Closer" campaign for SterlingForever's elegant sterling silver rings designs, which won first prize at the Zenith Festival in Zurich for best use of light. This success lead to many other jewelry related projects, including the documentary The Rise of Sterling Silver and the well known Precious Metal Addiction. Prerequisites for this course are Documentary Film I & II.

 

This was the official website for the international award winning documentary film , Spirit Riders. The content below is from the site's 2006 archived pages.

Spirit Riders is an international award winning documentary film about the birth of an American Indian peace movement, begun in 1990 by the Lakota Nation and its growth over the subsequent years. From the stunning images of wilderness landscapes to the dramatic footage of peace and unity horseback rides, this film is a visual delight. With narration by Peter Coyote, interviews with ride-participant Viggo Mortensen (Lord Of The Rings & Hidalgo) and an eclectic soundtrack featuring American Indian Grammy winner Bill Miller, Robert Mirabal, Keith Secola, Rick Allen,Lauren Monroe. Spirit Riders not only entertains, but leads the audience on a profound journey inside a culture and a movement offering ancient traditional visions of peace to a troubled modern world.  Many respected members of the Lakota community, including descendents of Sitting Bull and Black Elk are featured in the film, both as participants in the rides and as social/cultural commentators. Charlotte Black Elk, Alex Whiteplume, Birgil Killstraight, Ron His Horse Is Thunder, Russell Means and Mel Lonehill all make appearances in the film.     Ron His Horse is Thunder escorting Lakota Youth into Wounded Knee. December 28th 2000 Ron is a descendent of Sitting Bull and president of Sitting Bull Tribal College The film introduces us to the Lakota Indian tradition of ceremonial horseback rides and how in the last fifteen years these rides have become a source of inspiration for the Lakota people and a medium for a worldwide message of peace. We explore the annual Peace And Unity rides which each year are conducted to a different sacred site on the summer solstice. On that day, June 21st, a ceremony is held for peace among all people of the world and harmony with the environment. The film shows how this vision is coming to pass as the movement, which started as a purely local event, has since led to annual ceremonies not only in Central America but as far away as Ireland, Australia and South Africa. Spirit Riders explores how the roots of the World Peace movement lie in the suffering and recovery of the Lakota. Through rides and ceremonies, Lakota people have found ways to let go of the grief and despair which persisted for over a hundred years following the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee and envision a new and hopeful future. This is the invaluable journey which the Lakota people have to offer not only their own people but all the peoples of the world. Other Films in the Trilogy Peta Yuha Mani - He Who Keeps The Fire The Viggo Mortensen Interview Viggo Mortensen and TJ This film is an in depth interview conducted by documentary film maker James Kleinert. The film explores Mr. Mortenson's heart felt thoughts and reflections of his experience in Lakota country during the filming of Hidalgo and his participation in the 2003 Big Foot Peace Ride to Wounded Knee. Mr. Mortenson opens himself up, revealing his view of the media, government policy and just being with the Lakota people. The Ride To Little Big Horn Join the Lakota Future Generation Riders as they follow the path Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and other great warriors took on their way to the Greasy Grass. On June 25th, 128 years to the date, the riders charge the Little Big Horn where General Custer made a fatal last stand. Lakota elders like Mel Lonehill share their ancient knowledge of this historic event and re-enact the actual event from a Lakota perspective. Coming Soon on DVD! WILD HORSE SPIRIT “WILD HORSE SPIRIT” is a short film featuring Viggo Mortensen. This documentary presents a brief history of "The Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act", and a current update exposing the recently passed "Burns Bill" which gutted the protection these animals were granted in 1971 when the "Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act" was unanimously passed by Congress as a result of American citizens sending more letters to Congress over the threats to these wild animals than over any other domestic issue in U.S. History. In November 2004, without a hearing or an opportunity for public review, Senator Conrad Burns from Montana slipped a rider into the 2005 federal Appropriations Bill. "The Burns Bill" essentially legislates the slaughter of wild horses and burros, America’s national treasures Congress deemed, "Living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West…who enrich the lives of the American people and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene.” The “Burns Bill” was signed by President Bush and passed into law on December 8th, 2004. Enlightening the historical perspective offered byViggo Mortensen, filmmaker James Kleinertprovides stunning footage of these animals in the wild, followed by footage of the Bureau of Land Management rounding up wild horses as part of their current systematic removal policy. This is a short film that both educates and moves audiences to take immediate action to save America's Wild Horses, with an amazing sound track created by Rick Allen (drummer of Def Leppard) and Lauren Monroe, singer, songwriter. A must see film for people of conscience. All profits from the film Spirit Riders will go towards Lakota Youth Educational Programs. Lakota 7th Generation Youth Riders make there way through a blinding blizzard following the route Chief Big Foot Made 113 years earlier in similar weather conditions The Spirit Riders Trilogy is produced and directed by James Kleinert.

 

 

The Spirit Riders Foundation is a non-profit foundation* that produces multimedia state of the art audio-visual programming to educate, enlighten, entertain and to create positive understanding, hope and action among people and cultures. These materials are designed to foster harmony and understanding by empowering the human spirit, mind and body.

The profits from the Spirit Riders Trilogy will go towards Lakota Youth Education programs.

 

THE SPIRIT RIDERS FOUNDATION
Lakota Chapter

Communities in need, with an emphasis on their youth, will receive the profits earned from projects produced by The Spirit Rider Foundation. Our goal is to help build healthy, positive and empowered individuals who can contribute to their communities as a whole.

The first communities to benefit from The Spirit Riders Foundation are the Lakota Reservations of Standing Rock, Cheyenne River & Pine Ridge.

Profits earned from the documentary films Spirit Riders . . . Riding To Mend The Sacred Hoop, Peta Yuha Mani and Ride To The Little Big Horn will enable the Foundation to allocate monies toward Lakota Youth Education Programs as advised by the Lakota Board of Advisors. The Board of Advisors oversees the youth education programs on the named reservations.

To assist in providing up-to-date, accurate accounting records of all financial transactions involving grant monies awarded, a Certified Public Accountant will serve as treasurer for the Foundation’s donations to the youth education programs. The treasurer will allocate the funds awarded to the programs and maintain receipts of all program expenses.

As of September, 22, 2005, the Lakota communities have identified the following youth program needs:

—Veterinarian Scholarship Program: The Foundation plans to help fund the training of a Lakota individual to become a licensed veterinarian to serve the needs of Lakota communities. The Lakota Board of Advisors will select an individual from qualified candidates in the Lakota communities.

— Horse Whisperer Training Program: The Foundation plans to develop a horse training program, based on the horse whispering technique, for the Lakota people. Horse whispering involves creating total harmony and communication between horse and rider through a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. The Spirit Rider Foundation believes this training philosophy should be used by all of its program participants, and will engage experienced “horse whisperers” to teach clinics and workshops to help train Lakota youth in the technique.

— Kellyn Hill Scholarship Fund: In recognition of the late Kellyn Hill a youth Lakota Spirit Riders who showed amazing ability, perseverance and compassion. Each year the Lakota advisory board will identify a youth rider who exhibits outstanding qualities both as a horseman/woman and in his/her personal life. The Foundation will help to pay the youth’s higher education expenses.

— Digital Filmmaking Workshops: >Moving Cloud Productions, in a joint effort with the Spirit Riders Foundation, will offer Lakota youth the opportunity to learn digital filmmaking. Selected youth will attend workshops using a film production model that includes storyboard development and scripting, filming, editing and all facets of post-production including how to market the finished film. These workshops will help provide Lakota youth with the skills and knowledge to create their own film projects and enhance their job options in the television and film industry.

— Spirit Riders Lakota Chapter Web Site: The Foundation will help create a web site to provide information about the projects listed above as well as other needs existing in the Lakota community. The site will serve as a vehicle for establishing educational, business and charitable avenues for the Lakota people. A web master with the appropriate technology skills will be hired to serve as administrator for the site.

— Lakota Youth Horseback Rides: The Foundation will help fund Lakota youth horseback rides to cover expenses related to the rides. Costs include supplying and maintaining vehicles, trailers, horses and riding gear.

 

THE SPIRIT RIDERS FOUNDATION
Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – MARIA MENDOZA 
Maria is an American Indian Attorney practicing law in Washington DC.

VICE PRESIDENT – NICHOLAS MENDOZA
Nicholas is an American Indian Attorney practicing law in New Mexico.

PRESIDENT – JAMES KLEINERT
James is the Producer/Director of the Spirit Riders Trilogy.

SUSAN WALLITSCH
Susan is an Attorney

SUSAN JACKSON 
Susan is president of Turtles Crossing Films,
a Santa Monica based Distribution/film company.

Lakota Board of Advisors
Standing Rock Lakota Reservation
Manaja Hill 
Bob Gipp

Cheyenne River Lakota Reservation
Dana Dupris
Karen Ducheneaux

Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation
Mel Lonehill
Alex Whiteplume

Advisor to the Spirit Riders Board
Charlotte Black Elk – Lakota Attorney at Law

 

 

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More Background On SpiritRidersMovie.com

 

SpiritRidersMovie.com is the archival website for the award-winning documentary Spirit Riders — a visually powerful and emotionally resonant film chronicling the Lakota Nation’s modern peace movement and the ceremonial horseback rides that helped heal deep wounds from generations of historical trauma. Directed and produced by James Kleinert, Spirit Riders not only serves as a cinematic journey into Lakota traditions but also as a catalyst for community empowerment, education, and global awareness.

The website, originally the film’s official home, has since been preserved as a cultural resource, serving educators, students, and advocates of Indigenous heritage and environmental harmony. It stands today as both an archive of the film’s achievements and an ongoing testament to Indigenous resilience and cross-cultural understanding.

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Origins and Purpose

The website was first created in the mid-2000s to support the release of Spirit Riders, which documents a series of annual peace and unity horseback rides initiated by the Lakota Nation beginning in 1990. These rides, performed on the summer solstice, travel to sacred sites across the Great Plains and beyond, blending traditional ceremony with a modern call for global unity and environmental respect.

Over time, the film’s growing influence prompted the development of The Spirit Riders Foundation, a non-profit organization established to direct the film’s proceeds toward Lakota youth education programs. The website became an essential public hub, providing background information on the film, its creators, the participants, and the foundation’s philanthropic initiatives.

Today, SpiritRidersMovie.com functions as a historical archive and educational reference, maintaining a record of the documentary’s legacy and the continuing projects it inspired.

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The Film: Spirit Riders

At the center of the website is Spirit Riders, an international award-winning documentary that presents both a cinematic and spiritual portrait of a people rebuilding unity through cultural remembrance. The film captures the Lakota practice of ceremonial horseback rides — pilgrimages that trace sacred routes once walked by ancestors, including the path to Wounded Knee.

The documentary was narrated by actor and activist Peter Coyote and featured interviews with actor Viggo Mortensen, known for The Lord of the Rings and Hidalgo, who participated in the 2003 Big Foot Memorial Ride to Wounded Knee. The film also includes music by notable Native artists such as Bill Miller, Robert Mirabal, Keith Secola, and contributions from Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen and singer-songwriter Lauren Monroe.

Visually, the film juxtaposes sweeping shots of the Great Plains with intimate portraits of the Lakota riders. Through the lens of the rides, it explores themes of reconciliation, environmental stewardship, and spiritual healing — illustrating how the Lakota Nation transformed suffering into a global message of peace.

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Creative Vision: Director James Kleinert

The creative force behind the film, James Kleinert, is an American filmmaker, activist, and environmentalist known for documentaries that address Indigenous rights, environmental ethics, and social justice. Kleinert’s visual style merges environmental cinematography with human storytelling, emphasizing authenticity and empathy.

Kleinert’s prior works include The American Cowboy and Wild Horse Spirit, the latter exposing the consequences of the 2004 “Burns Bill” that weakened protections for wild horses. His films often pair advocacy with art, illuminating the connection between humanity and nature — a philosophy that extends into Spirit Riders and the subsequent trilogy that followed.

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The Trilogy and Related Works

Spirit Riders was conceived as the first installment in The Spirit Riders Trilogy, which includes the companion documentaries:

• Peta Yuha Mani – He Who Keeps the Fire – exploring contemporary Lakota spirituality and the endurance of ancient wisdom.

• Ride to Little Big Horn – following young Lakota riders retracing the route taken by Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and other warriors, reclaiming their history through experiential learning.

Together, these films create a body of work that fuses education, activism, and art, providing a platform for Native voices and reframing historical narratives from an Indigenous perspective.

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Awards and Recognition

The Spirit Riders documentary achieved significant recognition across numerous film festivals worldwide, underscoring its cinematic quality and cultural importance.

Notable honors and screenings include:

• Durango Film Festival (2004): Awarded Best Western American Documentary Film.

• Indian Summer Film & Video Image Awards (2005): Received the Award of Distinction.

• Zion Independent Film Festival (2005): Won Best Documentary Feature Film.

• Windsong Film Festival (2005): Named Best Film of the Year.

• American Indian Film Festival (San Francisco, 2005): Official Entry.

• Santa Fe Film Festival (2004): Nominated for Best Documentary Feature.

• Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (2005): Selected for Docs for Sale.

• Wine Country Film Festival (2005): Nominated for Best Film of Consciousness.

• Aboriginal Film Festival (Winnipeg, 2005): Official Entry.

• Palm Springs American Indian Film Festival (2006): Official Entry.

• Newport Beach Film Festival (2006): Official Entry (award pending at the time of publication).

These accolades positioned Spirit Riders not just as a film of artistic excellence, but also as an educational and spiritual milestone in documentary filmmaking.

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The Spirit Riders Foundation

Integral to the film’s ongoing mission, the Spirit Riders Foundation serves as a non-profit body dedicated to fostering education, empowerment, and cross-cultural understanding. Profits from the Spirit Riders Trilogy were designated for Lakota youth education programs in Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, and Pine Ridge reservations.

The Foundation’s initiatives have included:

• Veterinarian Scholarship Program: Funding the education of Lakota students pursuing veterinary science to serve community livestock and equine needs.

• Horse Whisperer Training Program: Teaching natural horsemanship methods rooted in trust and respect, aligning traditional Lakota practices with modern animal-training techniques.

• Kellyn Hill Scholarship Fund: Honoring the memory of a talented young Lakota rider through annual scholarships recognizing exceptional horsemanship and leadership.

• Digital Filmmaking Workshops: Training Lakota youth in all aspects of digital film production — from scripting and shooting to editing and distribution — in collaboration with Moving Cloud Productions.

• Lakota Youth Horseback Rides: Funding logistics, supplies, and safety for young riders participating in ceremonial journeys.

• Spirit Riders Lakota Chapter Website: Developing an online platform to share news, resources, and progress reports on community initiatives.

Each program reflects the Foundation’s broader mission: using storytelling, education, and tradition to build stronger, healthier Indigenous communities.

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Cultural and Social Significance

The Spirit Riders story resonates far beyond the borders of South Dakota. It symbolizes the Lakota people’s transformation of generational grief into global messages of peace and resilience. The film’s depiction of ceremonial rides connects audiences to the enduring impact of Wounded Knee, not merely as a tragic historical event but as a point of rebirth for Indigenous identity.

By showcasing intergenerational participation — elders, youth, men, and women riding together — the film demonstrates how traditions evolve yet remain rooted in shared values. The rides are not only acts of remembrance but living expressions of cultural survival.

The movement’s message has inspired international solidarity. Ceremonies and peace rides have since been held as far away as Ireland, Australia, and South Africa — testament to the universality of the film’s vision. The documentary thus bridges Indigenous experience and global activism, uniting environmental consciousness with human rights advocacy.

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Audience and Reception

The film’s audience extends across multiple spheres:

• Educators and Students: Frequently used in academic settings for courses on Indigenous studies, peace movements, environmental ethics, and film.

• Cultural Activists: Embraced by environmentalists, human-rights advocates, and artists exploring Indigenous resilience and sustainability.

• Film Enthusiasts: Praised for its cinematography, authentic voice, and emotional power.

Critics and audiences alike have lauded Spirit Riders for its honesty and beauty. Reviewers have highlighted the film’s capacity to “lead the audience on a profound journey inside a culture and a movement offering ancient traditional visions of peace to a troubled modern world.”

The collaboration with well-known figures such as Viggo Mortensen and Peter Coyote also broadened the film’s reach, attracting mainstream viewers who might not otherwise encounter Indigenous cinema.

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Related Productions and Advocacy

Following Spirit Riders, filmmaker James Kleinert continued to focus on environmental and Indigenous themes. His short film Wild Horse Spirit delved into the politics surrounding America’s wild horse populations and the controversial federal policies that threaten them. That film, like Spirit Riders, fused powerful imagery with urgent calls for action, earning acclaim for its mix of journalism, artistry, and advocacy.

The success of Spirit Riders also encouraged Kleinert and collaborators to build educational partnerships, creating spaces where Indigenous youth could learn storytelling and digital-media skills — ensuring that future generations could tell their own stories.

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Press and Media Coverage

Spirit Riders has received extensive coverage in cultural and independent film media. Articles and interviews have appeared in Native American publications, festival programs, and environmental outlets. Coverage often focuses on Kleinert’s cinematography, the Lakota riders’ courage, and the film’s unflinching look at the intersection of cultural survival and ecological harmony.

Viggo Mortensen’s participation further amplified visibility. His reflections, captured in The Viggo Mortensen Interview companion film, reveal deep respect for the Lakota people and critique modern media’s portrayal of Indigenous issues. Mortensen’s involvement helped bring the film to broader audiences, reinforcing its message of empathy and authenticity.

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Educational Impact

The preservation of SpiritRidersMovie.com as a learning resource underscores its importance in documentary and media studies. The site has been incorporated into coursework on documentary promotion and film ethics, emphasizing how visual storytelling can catalyze cultural change.

Dr. Matthew Martin, a film-promotion scholar, has cited Spirit Riders as a model for socially engaged documentary distribution — illustrating how filmmakers can extend a project’s life beyond screenings by integrating educational partnerships and community investment.

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Legacy

Nearly two decades after its release, Spirit Riders remains a landmark in Indigenous and environmental cinema. The website continues to testify to a film’s power not only to document but to transform.

Its enduring legacy lies in how it connects past to present — from the grief of Wounded Knee to the rides of reconciliation, from local Lakota youth to global advocates of peace. It exemplifies the possibilities of film as both an artistic and humanitarian act.

The Spirit Riders movement has evolved into a lasting symbol of hope, showing that healing — personal, cultural, and ecological — begins with remembrance, compassion, and the courage to ride together toward peace.

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