“Run Free - The True Story of Cabayo Blanco” - premiere for Bulgaria at Challenge Days 2015.
The documentary film “Run Free - The True Story of Cabayo Blanco”, directed by Stirling Noren, follows the life of American ultra running legend Micah True (Caballo Blanco or The White Horse) and his quest to create an ultra marathon in Mexico's Copper Canyon to promote and preserve the running tradition of a mythical tribe of ultra runners, the Taraumara. Mother True is the only white person allowed among the Mexican tribe and by becoming one of them, she wants to make the world hear about them. Thus was born the idea of creating the legendary Copper Canyons Marathon of Mexico, brilliantly described by Christopher McDougle in his bestselling book Born to Run.
A former boxer, rebel and free spirit, Cabayo Blanco was captivated by the Tarahumara Indian Tribe when they first met in 1994 and hasn't stopped returning to Copper Canyons to run alongside nature's consummate runners since. With an unobtrusive approach he gained their trust and he slowly began to absorb their culture. Running has always lain at the heart of their lives, but today more roads are being built in the canyons, and the Tarawumara face other problems such as drought, starvation and human exploitation of the lands they live on.
The Taraumara are changing Mother Tru's life and in gratitude he wants to help them. He dreams of a marathon with runners from all over the world to be held in the Mexican canyons, and the prize is 230 pounds of corn. For Taraumara, this is a strong motivation, and the world's runners get the opportunity to run alongside the world's best.
The race, which popularized Cabayo Blanco's idea, was immortalized in the book Born to Run, in which Mother True herself became a beloved character. At the same race in 2006, long-distance super-champion Scott Jurek was outrun by a worthy representative of the taurumara. After the book came out, the whole world started talking about mystical Mexican runners and barefoot running.
By 2012, the race had raised over 400 participants and over $40,000 in support of Taraumara. Shortly thereafter, Mother True disappeared. Runners from all over the world join the search for the White Horse in Mexico where it was last seen. Four days later they discover his body. His death occurred naturally and came upon him while he was doing his favorite thing - running in the wild. Today, his memory lives on through the Cabayo Blanco Ultramarathon, held annually in Copper Canyons on the first Saturday in March.
The film has won three awards for documentary and independent cinema.
Trailer to the film with Bulgarian subtitles:
Director:
Stirling Noren