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This documentary reveals the true story of an Israeli equestrian champion who crossed taboo boundaries between Jews, Christians and Muslims, as she followed her passions professionally and romantically. Her story rides parallel with the growth of the State of Israel, its wars, its rapid economic growth, changing borders and external and internal conflicts.
Marcia Rock, Producer/Director/Cinematographer
Marcia Rock is a documentary filmmaker, professor and Director of News and Documentary at NYU Journalism. Her documentaries cover international dilemmas women’s issues and personal perspectives. She recently completed three films on veteran issues and two with Patricia Lee Stotter. Soldiers Period debunks myths about PMS and SERVICE: When Women Come Marching Home follows women transitioning from active duty to civilian life and won a NY Emmy. Warriors Return focuses on Navajo veterans. She’s covered Irish American and Northern Irish history producing Daughters of the Troubles: Belfast Stories (1997) that won many awards and McSorley’s New York, that chronicles the history of the NY Irish through the bar and won a NY Emmy. Her personal documentary, Dancing with My Father, reflects on how adult love is shaped by what a child learns at home. It also includes a history of the Jews of Cleveland. Surrender Tango explores how Tango can be a metaphor for relationships. Early work includes, Village Writers: the Bohemian Legacy (1990), Reynolds Price: a Writer’s Inheritance (1989) and the Singing Angels to China in 1982 that won a Cleveland Emmy (1983). A seminal moment in her career was working with Marlene Sanders on the book, Waiting for Primetime: The Women of Television News. A pioneer for women in broadcast journalism, Sanders was the first woman to anchor a newscast.
Naomi Guttman-Bass, Director/Producer/Cinematrographer
Naomi Guttman-Bass has been making documentary and short dramatic films for over 25 years. She is a volunteer filmmaker active in community television in Israel. Over the years she has participated in numerous video projects that were broadcast on the Israel community television channel. Her films include ‘Third Side of the Checkpoint’ (46’), produced with Carmela Bass, that followed Machsom Watch women observing Israeli-Palestinian checkpoints for human rights violations. It was the Audience Favorite at the 2004 Human Rights in Film International Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland. Her ‘Half Here, Half There’ (10’), a film about the effect of the separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories on a shopkeeper whose grocery store was located next to the new barrier, won best director at the 2008 Jerusalem Community Television ‘Oscars’. She directed ‘Horse Power and a Woman’ (7’), about a woman dressage champion who built a horse stable close to Gaza, and whose family is in constant threat of terrorist attacks, won first place in the 2019 Other Voices competition in Sderot, Israel. Apart from her film work, Naomi has a background in biology, with a PhD from MIT, and years of research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Yale University. After leaving the academic world, she moved into video production. Naomi has produced, directed, filmed and edited films in collaboration with other filmmakers and on her own. Human rights, tolerance and understanding of the other are some of her major themes. In addition, she has a special interest in animals, and spent many years getting to know the large carnivores at the Jerusalem Biblical zoo through her film work. ‘Unreined’ combines her interests, showing how it is possible to break down barriers between people in conflict, as mediated by horses and the people who love them.
Nancy Zeitlen
Nancy Zeitlin arrived in Israel as a young girl passionate about horses. In 1968, her family moved from San Diego to fulfill their Zionist dream. At the time the equestrian sports of competitive dressage and show jumping were in their infancy and she grew to be one of the major figures in their development, carrying the high jump record for 20 years. A chance encounter with horse-loving Palestinians led her to a collaboration that would change her life. Following the Oslo Accords and the opening of the borders, Nancy began to train young Palestinians to ride and compete internationally. In the film she visits with Khaled, a former student in Jericho who now owns a stable in the West Bank. The emotional reunion includes reminiscing about their own initial stereotypes and how they learned to work together. Nancy never waivers in her pride of country but earns the respect of her Palestinian students and peers through her professionalism and compassion. After ten productive years the second Intifada took its toll and Nancy returned to Israel. Rebuilding her career, Nancy continues to inspire riders as a trainer and competition judge. Her story is presented here for the first time, including all its twists, surprises, and a new law degree.
This documentary reveals the true story of an Israeli equestrian champion who crossed taboo boundaries between Jews, Christians and Muslims, as she followed her passions professionally and romantically. Her story rides parallel with the growth of the State of Israel, its wars, its rapid economic growth, changing borders and external and internal conflicts.
Marcia Rock, Producer/Director/Cinematographer
Marcia Rock is a documentary filmmaker, professor and Director of News and Documentary at NYU Journalism. Her documentaries cover international dilemmas women’s issues and personal perspectives. She recently completed three films on veteran issues and two with Patricia Lee Stotter. Soldiers Period debunks myths about PMS and SERVICE: When Women Come Marching Home follows women transitioning from active duty to civilian life and won a NY Emmy. Warriors Return focuses on Navajo veterans. She’s covered Irish American and Northern Irish history producing Daughters of the Troubles: Belfast Stories (1997) that won many awards and McSorley’s New York, that chronicles the history of the NY Irish through the bar and won a NY Emmy. Her personal documentary, Dancing with My Father, reflects on how adult love is shaped by what a child learns at home. It also includes a history of the Jews of Cleveland. Surrender Tango explores how Tango can be a metaphor for relationships. Early work includes, Village Writers: the Bohemian Legacy (1990), Reynolds Price: a Writer’s Inheritance (1989) and the Singing Angels to China in 1982 that won a Cleveland Emmy (1983). A seminal moment in her career was working with Marlene Sanders on the book, Waiting for Primetime: The Women of Television News. A pioneer for women in broadcast journalism, Sanders was the first woman to anchor a newscast.
Naomi Guttman-Bass, Director/Producer/Cinematrographer
Naomi Guttman-Bass has been making documentary and short dramatic films for over 25 years. She is a volunteer filmmaker active in community television in Israel. Over the years she has participated in numerous video projects that were broadcast on the Israel community television channel. Her films include ‘Third Side of the Checkpoint’ (46’), produced with Carmela Bass, that followed Machsom Watch women observing Israeli-Palestinian checkpoints for human rights violations. It was the Audience Favorite at the 2004 Human Rights in Film International Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland. Her ‘Half Here, Half There’ (10’), a film about the effect of the separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories on a shopkeeper whose grocery store was located next to the new barrier, won best director at the 2008 Jerusalem Community Television ‘Oscars’. She directed ‘Horse Power and a Woman’ (7’), about a woman dressage champion who built a horse stable close to Gaza, and whose family is in constant threat of terrorist attacks, won first place in the 2019 Other Voices competition in Sderot, Israel. Apart from her film work, Naomi has a background in biology, with a PhD from MIT, and years of research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Yale University. After leaving the academic world, she moved into video production. Naomi has produced, directed, filmed and edited films in collaboration with other filmmakers and on her own. Human rights, tolerance and understanding of the other are some of her major themes. In addition, she has a special interest in animals, and spent many years getting to know the large carnivores at the Jerusalem Biblical zoo through her film work. ‘Unreined’ combines her interests, showing how it is possible to break down barriers between people in conflict, as mediated by horses and the people who love them.
Nancy Zeitlen
Nancy Zeitlin arrived in Israel as a young girl passionate about horses. In 1968, her family moved from San Diego to fulfill their Zionist dream. At the time the equestrian sports of competitive dressage and show jumping were in their infancy and she grew to be one of the major figures in their development, carrying the high jump record for 20 years. A chance encounter with horse-loving Palestinians led her to a collaboration that would change her life. Following the Oslo Accords and the opening of the borders, Nancy began to train young Palestinians to ride and compete internationally. In the film she visits with Khaled, a former student in Jericho who now owns a stable in the West Bank. The emotional reunion includes reminiscing about their own initial stereotypes and how they learned to work together. Nancy never waivers in her pride of country but earns the respect of her Palestinian students and peers through her professionalism and compassion. After ten productive years the second Intifada took its toll and Nancy returned to Israel. Rebuilding her career, Nancy continues to inspire riders as a trainer and competition judge. Her story is presented here for the first time, including all its twists, surprises, and a new law degree.
