Although Krisanna Sexton’s award-winning documentary “Rescued Hearts” is “focused on the miracles, mystery and science of healing with horses,” the filmmaker says it’s not about equine therapy. “For me, (the film) is about connection, the power of the heart, and what happens when w e allow ourselves to be fully present,” she said in an email interview. “This is the space I believe all of nature is inviting us into.” The public will get a chance to experience “Rescued Hearts” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at the Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium. The screening, which will feature a panel discussion afterward, is made possible through a partnership with Liberty Sanctuary and The Equellness Center, with support from Beila Edelman Coaching, The Equine Empowerment Center and Horses For Mental Health. “I’m excited to bring ‘Rescued Hearts’ to town to help raise awareness about how horses are making such a difference through programs like Liberty Sanctuary and The Equellness Center,” said Licensed Clinical Social Worker Lynn Thomas, Horses for Mental Health cofounder and president and chief inspirational leader for Arenas for Change (ARCH), who appears in the film. “(These places) are providing powerful opportunities for healing and personal growth in this unique way right here in our community, and so many people still aren’t aware these programs exist or how deeply transformative this work can be.” “Rescued Hearts” examines the connection between humans and horses, and was inspired by a 7-year-old boy diagnosed with autism who spoke his first words while interacting with a horse.  The film’s producer, Dana Croschere, who, along with Sexton, founded Live Wild Films, a production company whose mission is “creating authentic films as medicine for the heart,” was the spark for “Rescued Hearts.” Croschere has volunteered in equine therapeutic programs for more than 15 years and felt inspired after witnessing a miracle with a child diagnosed with autism speak their first words while connecting with a horse, Sexton said. Filmmaker Krisanna Sexton’s partner and producer Dana Croschere’s interest in the science of the horse-human connection laid the foundation of Sexton’s documentary “Rescued Hearts.” Credit: Photo courtesy of Live Wild Films “She was also deeply interested in some of the science of the horse-human connection as it relates to heart coherence, and felt there was something powerful to explore,” she said. “Dana and I have been in a relationship since 2017, (and) she is my best friend and the love of my life. Dana and I know our mission is to create films together, and she has believed in me from the very beginning.” In 2019, Sexton produced and directed the documentary short, “The Journey Home,” which highlights an art program for women incarcerated at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail. In 2022, Sexton and Croschere produced their first feature-length documentary, “Love Heals,” which explores the ancient wisdom of healing. It’s currently on PBS and is one of the top-streamed films on a platform called Gaia. “Rescued Hearts” is the couple’s first film to include animals, especially large ones, like horses. “I love animals, but I didn’t know much about horses and was quite nervous being around them, so I felt like an unlikely storyteller to create this film,” Sexton said. Croschere felt the film would benefit from Sexton’s apprehension. “(Dana) encouraged me by saying it was important that someone without horse experience help tell this story so it could resonate with audiences worldwide,” Sexton said. “And now I know just how important that was.” Sexton said she was already interested in the science of heart coherence and especially how it relates to humans’ connection with horses and all of nature. “(So) there wasn’t really any preparation,” she said. “Dana simply coordinated where we would film, and I packed up my gear and went.” The two started filming in November of 2022, according to Sexton. “My primary intention in all of my filming is to always honor the person (and animal) in front of me, and that means allowing everyone to be themselves, authentically,” she said. “I learned very quickly that horses weren’t going to follow any agendas I had anyway, so I had to practice surrendering to the present moment, offering presence and allowing things to unfold naturally and organically.” The direction of film changed throughout the two-and-a-half year journey, Sexton said. “We had a very loose vision, but like I said, Dana and I are both very focused on allowing the stories to unfold organically — so any ideas we had were ever-evolving.” Still, over-explaining or focusing on misconceptions, regardless of the topic, isn’t Sexton’s style, nor are reshoots. “We are focused on authentic storytelling first that honors every person who trusts us to tell their story,” she said. “This means we fully immerse with each person and allow their story to unfold organically. We don’t ask for anything to be re-done, to be said again, or anything like that.” Sexton considers her films “medicine for the heart” and is always conscious of what to include in them. A group of people find their still points with horses in a scene from Krisanna Sexton’s documentary, “Rescued Hearts.” Credit: Photo courtesy of Live Wild Films “It’s actually something I feel quite passionate about, as I struggle with so much of documentary storytelling and how often people’s stories are put into boxes for the sake of ticket sales,” she said. “It’s something I would never allow to be done with my own story, so I won’t ever do that to anyone else. This is relationship first. Honoring first. Connection first. And sometimes the most sacred and profound moments are the ones I choose not to share, because not everything is meant to be shared.” Sexton ended up with more than 200 hours of footage, which meant she had to face the daunting task of editing everything down to just under two hours. “Because I trust the power of my heart, I would spend time in meditation each day, breathing in and out of my heart, as we had learned from experts in our film,” she said. “And instead of focusing on the entire film, I simply focused on one scene one at a time. I had no idea what the film would become, but I would regularly receive direct messages or insights in meditation that helped me take the next step, and often scenes would start to come together in a way I could have never predicted.” Throughout the process, Sexton felt as if the film was guiding her.  “As it was healing parts of me in the edit, I felt it would help heal thousands around the world — and that kept me going even on my hardest days,” she said. Sexton sees her films as a piece of her own healing journey. “I thought I was afraid of horses,” she said. “What I realized is that my fear was more about my baseline operating system, and being around horses helped me see the place from which I am operating, not just with horses, but with everyone. When I look into horses’ eyes, something happens within me. It’s like I feel my own soul, and an invitation into the present moment.” Sexton said another gift of creating the film is her proximity to people she normally wouldn’t spend time with. “Horses bring together people from all walks of life and all belief systems,” she said. “And especially at our events, what I see over and over is that love wins. The messaging that is so often trying to separate us is drowned out by people’s connection to these precious beings, and it shows me just how much we are all one. For me, that alone is incredibly healing.” Debra West, founder and executive director Liberty Sanctuary, a nonprofit that rescues horses and donkeys and advocates against slaughter, first met Sexton and Croschere online about a year ago, and that’s when she learned about “Rescued Hearts.” “I saw snippets of the film, and I thought it was beautiful and a well-told story,” she said. “I liked the fact that they interviewed scientists. We can go down a pipeline where everything can be rainbows and unicorns, but we really feel it’s important to have science that backs up some of our methodology. I liked that the film had a great balance of that.”  When West was able to see the full film later, she knew she would do anything to bring it to Park City. “At first, though, I didn’t think we could because of some other financial challenges,” she said. “I reached out to others in the equine community, so the fact that we were able to work with Equellness and the Equine Empowerment Center and Horses for Mental Health is amazing.” Thomas, who appears in “Rescued Hearts,” will moderate a the post-screening panel that will feature West, Beila Edelman, a registered nurse, equine-facilitated instructor and board-certified health and wellness coach, and Alejandra Lara, executive director of Equellness Center, a nonprofit to foster mental fitness and personal growth through equine-assisted services and wellness programs. “I am over the moon and really excited to be able to collaborate with such incredible partners in the community,” Lara said. “In a way we complement what we do. We’re all in the same business of doing good in the world, and joining forces in how we create space for humans to feel the power of horses.”  Sexton is grateful for the opportunity to have “Rescued Hearts” screened in Park City, even though she and Croschere will not be able to attend. “It means so much to know that Rescued Hearts is being shared with communities around the world,” she said. “We hope the film touches the hearts of each person who attends.” ‘Rescued Hearts’ Screening When: 6 p.m. May 21 Where: Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium, 1255 Park Ave. Cost: $20 Tickets: givebutter.com/rescuedhearts Web: livewildfilms.com, libertysanctuary.org, equellness.com, horsesformentalhealth.org and beilaedelman.com Viewer note: Rescued Hearts explores sensitive healing journeys that may not be suitable for very young children. The post Award-winning documentary explores the connection of ‘Rescued Hearts’ appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less