Colorado Cowboy: The Bruce Ford Story

Director: Arthur Elgort

Institute History

Description

This is a portrait of an American icon, the cowboy, and specifically the
story of a rodeo bronco rider, Bruce Ford, a five-time world champion and
a legend in the sport. It is told simply and beautifully, both through
extraordinary images. often in slow motion. and interviews, primarily
With Ford himself. But this isn't journalism; this is art.
Arthur Elgort is one of the leading fashion photographers of his generation, and to say he has a developed sense of aesthetics, of the visual, of the play of light and shadow is a complete understatement. The
film captures vibrantly the world of rodeo, of the West and of the people
who inhabit this landscape II is a film, as the director says, of music,
dialogue and movement, and is often absolutely mesmerizing. In
Colorado Cowboy, the standard cliché about visual poetry seems perfectly true, without any exaggeration. This study of a life formed from
"dust, mud, white lines. blood and sweat" reestablishes a romantic
archetype. and Bruce Ford fills the bill. His bareback riding is a mixture
of grace, fury, explosiveness and control. And the culture and pageantry
of the rodeo are elegantly and stylistically captured
Brilliant black-and-white photography by cinematographer Morton
Sandtroen expressively documents Ford's life and his universe, from the
arena to the back roads, from his face to his eight-second struggle on a
horse. Colorado Cowboy reaffirms values that are part of our past, yet
stili relevant to our present. both in terms of character and fleshing out
Icons As the second Installment in Elgort's series on American heroes
(following the success of Texas Teno,. The Illinois Tangent Story), it is an
intimate, clear-cut vision as natural and honest as its subject, a must for
anyone Interested in the way we view heroes today.
—Geoffrey Gilmore


Preceded by:
American Standoff

Saturday Jan 22 10:20 pm
Holliday Village Cinema II

Monday Jan 24 9:30 am
Prospector Square Theatre

Wednesday Jan 26 7:20 pm
Holiday Village Cinema II

Saturday Jan 29 1:20 pm
Holliday Village Cinema II

$7.00

— Geoffrey Gilmore

Screening Details

Credits

As you use our Online Archives, please understand that the information presented from Festivals, Labs, and other activities is taken directly from official publications from each year. While this information is limited and doesn't necessarily represent the full list of participants (e.g. actors and crew), it is the list given to us by the main film/play/project contact at the time, based on the space restrictions of our publications. Each entry in the Online Archives is meant as a historical record of a particular film, play, or project at the time of its involvement with Sundance Institute. For this reason, we can only amend an entry if a name is misspelled, or if the entry does not correctly reflect the original publication. If you have questions or comments, please email [email protected]