Fire on the Hill
| Fire on the Hill | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Brett Fallentine |
| Produced by | Brett Fallentine, Jenna Cedicci, Jordana Glick-Franzheim, Steven Amato, Jimmy Greenway, Sean-Michael Smith |
| Starring | Ghuan Featherstone, Calvin Gray, Chris Byrd |
| Cinematography | Bradley Stonesifer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Fire on the Hill is a 2020 documentary film directed by Brett Fallentine. It tells the story of three South Central Los Angeles urban cowboys and their struggle to preserve a threatened culture by rebuilding their community stable, "The Hill," after a mysterious fire burnt it down.[1][2] The film premiered at the LA Film Festival where it won the "LA Muse Award,"[1] and went on to receive other awards, including the "Artistic Vision Award" at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival[3] and the "Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award" at the Heartland International Film Festival.[4]
Background and production[edit]
"The Hill" was one of a few public horse stables in South Central Los Angeles, an area that has been partly zoned for agriculture since 1889.[5] For decades the public stable was home to local equestrians, regardless of race, creed or gang affiliation.[2]
Director Brett Fallentine first began filming cowboys riding in South Central Los Angeles in 2011.[6] In 2012, The Hill stables burnt down mysteriously, possibly the result of arson.[5] Fallentine began documenting the community's efforts to rebuild the stables.[6] In addition to traditional funding, Fallentine received a California Humanities Grant and raised additional funds through a Kickstarter campaign.[7]
Synopsis[edit]
Fire on the Hill focuses on three Black cowboys of South Central Los Angeles following the destruction of "The Hill," one of the area's longest-operating horse stables. Ghuan Featherstone is an ex-soldier fighting to preserve a unique culture that stands as an alternative to crime and gang violence. Calvin Gray, who witnessed the fire, attempts to balance family responsibilities and the cowboy lifestyle. Chris Byrd pursues a career as a professional Bull Rider on the rodeo circuit.[7][8]
Reception[edit]
The Hollywood Reporter wrote of Fire on the Hill: "Brett Fallentine's well-observed film, embraces a burnished Wild West archetype while redefining it."[1] Speaking on KPCC's FilmWeek, critic Christy Lemire described the film as "A really cool combination of old-fashioned Western iconography with bracing, contemporary imagery" while Amy Nicholson commented "There are these three really human stories pulling us along. I was just knocked out."[9] Musanna Ahmed of Film Inquiry praised it as "an inspiring journey of building, rebuilding and reinforcing a community for the black community in Compton".[10]
Fire on the Hill won the "Muse Documentary Award" at the 2018 LA Film Festival.[1] The film also won the "Artistic Vision Award" at the 2019 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and the "Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award" at the 2019 Heartland International Festival.[3][4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Linden, Sheri (12 November 2018). "'Fire on the Hill': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ a b Weber, Jared (30 July 2019). "The real 'Old Town Road': Lil Nas X highlights black cowboy culture across US". USA Today.
- ^ a b "Award Winners," Big Sky Documentary Festival Website, retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ a b "Heartland International Film Festival Announces Winners," Inside Indiana Business, retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Bliss, Laura (5 March 2015). "The Cowboys of Compton". Bloomberg News.
- ^ a b George, Evan (5 March 2015). "Keeping cowboy culture alive in Compton". KCRW.
- ^ a b Arnold, Shayna Rose (3 March 2015). "The Lost History of the Last Cowboys of Compton". Los Angeles Magazine.
- ^ "Fire on the Hill: The Cowboys of South Central". Doc NYC. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "FilmWeek: 'Hamilton,' 'The Truth,' 'John Lewis: Good Trouble' And More". FilmWeek. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ Ahmed, Musanna (11 February 2019). "Fire on the Hill: Fresh View Of Compton From Horseback". Film Inquiry. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
