HOLLYWOOD HORSEMAN

Hollywood Horseman chronicles the life of Rex Peterson, one of the most renowned horse trainers in the movie business. It is the story of a complex, thick-skinned yet inherently sensitive man raised hard on the plains of western Nebraska, where he was already riding in rodeos before most kids could ride a bike. 

This documentary recounts how Rex’s love of horses sustained him during a tumultuous childhood and led him from trick riding in rodeos and Wild West shows to his success in Hollywood.  Unique archival material and horse training sequences are included, as well as interviews with directors, actors, wranglers, horse trainers, stunt professionals and others that Rex has worked with during his remarkable 50-year career. 

Using patience, intuition and knowledge of equine intelligence, Rex has trained horses and actor riders in nearly 100 productions. His talents as a trainer and his emotional bond with horses have helped him contribute to some of Hollywood’s most memorable films, including The Horse Whisperer, Black Beauty and Hidalgo; and earned the respect of acclaimed filmmakers such as Robert Redford, Ron Howard, Sam Elliot, Julia Roberts and Viggo Mortensen.

ပ   MEET THE TEAM   ပ

Paul Brozen (Director / Producer) Paul first started shooting movies as a teenager with the family wind-up Kodak 8mm camera. His younger brother David was often the unwilling star of his 3 minute features. With the introduction of consumer video equipment in the early 80s, Paul was able to record the life stories of his grandparents to share with future generations. Paul and Rex met eight years ago on the set of The Knick, an HBO episodic set in the turn of the century. Rex provided the horses and wagons, while Paul provided period correct vehicles. Paul often joked that he and Rex both work with horsepower; Rex’s limit is up to 8 hp driving a stagecoach, while Paul deals with 350 hp under the hood of a car. Rex and Paul started talking a few years ago about making a documentary about Rex’s life story. Rex finally agreed to the idea as he was thinking about retiring. Rex felt that his mentor, Glenn Randall Sr. had an enormous amount to share about horse training, but sadly took all his tales to the grave.

Viggo Mortensen (Producer) - Viggo Mortensen is a Danish-American actor, producer, and director. Some of the movies he has participated in include Green Book, Captain Fantastic,  Far From Men, Jauja,  The Two Faces of January, A Dangerous Method, The Road, Appaloosa, Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He has directed two movies, Falling and The Dead Don’t Hurt. Mortensen is also a poet, photographer, and painter. He founded and is the editor of Perceval Press, an independent publishing house specializing in poetry, photography, painting, and critical writing, as well as the movie production company Perceval Pictures.

Andrew Saxe (Producer) is an accomplished film and TV producer with a noteworthy body of work in a career spanning 30+ years. Andrew has had the privilege of working with some of the most respected and awarded directors, actors, and production teams in the business, as well as broadcast, cable and streamers that include ABC, NBC, CBS, USA, FX, HBO, Universal, Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers, Apple TV+, Amazon, and Netflix. Andrew's passion, creative sensibilities, and commitment to excellence have resulted in critically acclaimed and commercially successful projects, while his diverse production expertise continues to shape the landscape of filmed entertainment. Andrew is thrilled to be part of this extraordinary story, one that celebrates a complex individual and his remarkable career.

Bonnie Hlinomaz (Producer) is an Emmy® winning producer for her CNN released documentary, The Hunt for Planet B. Her latest film, Deep Sky, narrated by Michelle Williams, was released internationally in IMAX. She also produced Picasso & Braque go to the Movies, narrated by Martin Scorsese and White Gold, which was distributed in the U.S. and in China, narrated in Mandarin by Jackie Chan. Documentaries that she produced have premiered at TIFF, SXSW, DOC NYC, MoMA, and screened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kennedy Space Center, Smithsonian Air and Space, United Nations, U.S. Department of State and embassies worldwide. 

Peder Pedersen (Editor) is an accomplished film editor and director with a diverse and extensive body of work on documentaries and scripted feature films for theatrical, television, and streaming releases. He has collaborated creatively with Viggo Mortensen on several projects, serving as editor, including the critically acclaimed revisionist Western drama The Dead Don’t Hurt. In addition to his feature films and documentaries, Peder has worked on hundreds of commercials for clients such as LEGO and music videos for artists like AQUA and The Raveonettes. His work also spans live-action and animated television shows, demonstrating his versatility across mediums.  Peder’s work reflects a strong focus on storytelling and a commitment to delivering engaging visual narratives.

ပ   SUPPORT OUR JOURNEY   ပ

Your financial contribution is essential to finishing this documentary, and your generosity will be deeply appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible.

For major contributions or if you’re interested in helping with other aspects of the film’s production, please contact our producer, Andrew Saxe, at 917-656-1917 or [email protected].

We’re excited to have you join us on this incredible journey. Your support is invaluable, and we can’t wait to share the magic of Hollywood Horseman with you.