The Riderr

Chloé Zhao's luminous and enthralling study of a young South Dakotan cowboy’s struggle following a rodeo injury.

Chloé Zhao's sublime study of a young Sioux cowboy and his broken dreams is a magnificently crafted drama built around the real-life experiences of her cast of non-actors. Cinematographer Joshua James Richards (God’s Own Country) captures glinting rays of sunlight that reflect the soulful presence at the heart of the film - cowboy Brady Jandreau. He plays a semi-autobiographical character alongside his real-life father and sister. After a near fatal rodeo accident and with doctors ordering him not to ride again, Jandreau struggles to leave the sport he loves.

Zhao focuses on Brady’s moving interaction with the horses and his tight community of fellow-riders. In doing so, she delivers an enthralling portrait of America’s cowboy culture and an archetypal story of a young man redefining his hopes and ambitions.