Washington, D.C. (March 10, 2010)—International award-winning filmmaker, James Kleinert, shares a sneak preview of his latest star-studded film, Disappointment Valley ... A Modern Day Western, featuring Sheryl Crow, Viggo Mortensen and Darryl Hannah, on Wednesday, March 24^th in Washington D.C. Kleinert’s documentary examines the politics behind the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) controversial policies on public lands, while questioning the fate of America's wild horses and burros. The screening at Busboys and Poets, (14th and V), begins at 6:00 p.m and a Q&A with Kleinert and Emmy-Award Winning filmmaker, Ginger Kathrens, complete the evening. The “March for Mustangs” rally will take place on March 25^th in Lafayette Park from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. to stop the destruction of America’s wild horse and burro herds. Actress Wendie Malick will join speakers Kathrens, Kleinert and more for a 1:30 p.m. press conference.

“Wild horses are living things who have a right to coexist in what is a vast landscape, which is the American West," states Viggo Mortensen in Kleinert’s film adding, “Let’s do something about this.”

Disappointment Valley centers around dramatic footage of heart-wrenching wild horse roundups and interviews with Jim Baca, (former Director of the Bureau of Land Management), Michael Blake (writer of Dances With Wolves), Sheryl Crow, Viggo Mortensen, Daryl Hannah, Congressmen Raul M. Grijalva, Ginger Kathrens, American Indian actor and advocate Raoul Trijullo, energy consultant Randy Udall, scientific experts as well as animal rights and environmental activists. Probing deeply into the issue, the documentary examines the effects of gutting of the historic 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act with the 2004 Burns Amendment—removing protections for tens of thousands of wild horses, many of whom have ended up in foreign slaughter plants.

"The BLM is not just trying to destroy wild horse herds, they're really challenging the system of democracy in the U.S. and this is a very, very dangerous path they've gone down," explains Ginger Kathrens, filmmaker of the popular PBS Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies programs and Director of The Cloud Foundation.

Disappointment Valley documents the struggle of the legendary mustangs who have long symbolized freedom, individualism and the wild spirit in America.  The film delves into the current impacts on western public lands by oil, gas, mining and corporate cattle grazing.

“I hope this film will educate viewers about the alarming removals of our wild horses and inspire change—to protect these precious animals in the West,” explains Native American filmmaker James Kleinert. Always ready to tackle challenges, the former World Cup competitor in aerial freestyle skiing has been hailed for his both his high action winter sports films and his in-depth environmental films with a strong Native American element. Kleinert’s short film Wild Horse Spirit was a pivotal part of the 2007 Emmy award-winning PBS series Natural Hero's. Now, in Disappointment Valley, Kleinert explores how the "New Energy" public land grab is forcing the mustangs out.

James Kleinert works closely with and welcomes donations to the Spirit Riders Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit (www.spiritridersfoundation.org). The Spirit Riders Foundation 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. Their work is designed to foster harmony and understanding by empowering the human spirit, mind and body.

“If the public could view what’s being done to wild horses, the public would stand up and take action,” states Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves.

This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended due to limited seating but are not required, please contact:  Elizabeth Slagsvol at BSlagsvol@mac.com or Makendra Silverman, makendra@thecloudfoundation.org, 719-351-8187.