IMDb RATING
6.5/10
411
YOUR RATING
When Nicki discovers two horses stranded deep in the Rocky Mountain snow, she is determined to find a way to set them free.When Nicki discovers two horses stranded deep in the Rocky Mountain snow, she is determined to find a way to set them free.When Nicki discovers two horses stranded deep in the Rocky Mountain snow, she is determined to find a way to set them free.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Lloyd Robertson
- Self - Newscaster
- (archive footage)
Benjamin Laird
- Cam
- (as Ben Laird)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This Based on a true story movie is a really good family flick. The acting though not academy award quality, was superb. All the actors, including the horses and their stunt doubles were perfectly cast. For a true story movie, it held pretty close to the real life adventure. I liked the dynamics of this family's life... .living and working together, working out problems and difficulties together. It was impressively a real life family situation. Aidan Quinn has matured as an actor these days and comes across totally credible. A job well done. Yes I recommend It James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 2/2/2021
This is a family drama draped around the true-life story of two horses rescued from otherwise certain death in the bitter cold.
The performances are quite natural. I actually clicked on Aidan Quinn's bio to check where he was born. In addition to being an excellent actor he plays a pretty convincing Canadian. Not to mention a first-rate snow-shoveller.
MacKenzie Porter plays the determined daughter. I was cheering for her all the way.
It's a heart-warming story. But the star of the show, for me, was the snow and the cold and the mountains. Being a Canadian film there's no way they could afford CGI so they must have "lucked" into a -40C day or five. The actors have frozen red cheeks, noses and ears. Their breath comes out as steam. And the snow blows around like sand in a Kurasowa film. Major props to the cast and crew for pulling it off. They really earned their Lethbridge Pilsner on this production.
Just when I thought this movie couldn't get any better-looking we get flashbacks with the horses in the autumn mountains.
If you ever get a chance to visit McBride, it's not very far west of Jasper and well worth the trip. The old train station has a coffee shop in it and you can walk right out on to the tracks and take in the scenery. Much like this movie, it'll make you grateful for the good people and the beauty in this world.
The performances are quite natural. I actually clicked on Aidan Quinn's bio to check where he was born. In addition to being an excellent actor he plays a pretty convincing Canadian. Not to mention a first-rate snow-shoveller.
MacKenzie Porter plays the determined daughter. I was cheering for her all the way.
It's a heart-warming story. But the star of the show, for me, was the snow and the cold and the mountains. Being a Canadian film there's no way they could afford CGI so they must have "lucked" into a -40C day or five. The actors have frozen red cheeks, noses and ears. Their breath comes out as steam. And the snow blows around like sand in a Kurasowa film. Major props to the cast and crew for pulling it off. They really earned their Lethbridge Pilsner on this production.
Just when I thought this movie couldn't get any better-looking we get flashbacks with the horses in the autumn mountains.
If you ever get a chance to visit McBride, it's not very far west of Jasper and well worth the trip. The old train station has a coffee shop in it and you can walk right out on to the tracks and take in the scenery. Much like this movie, it'll make you grateful for the good people and the beauty in this world.
A feel good movie about honest, hard working people who's values are a lesson to us all.The story takes place during the Christmas holidays leading up to Christmas eve. it's about a family who's values are simple and honest. I enjoyed watching the decisions being made as they relate to family matters, life and doing the right thing.
I don't care that this movie may have swayed from actual events. The cinematography is stunning, really showcasing nature and the ruggedness of the mountains. Spectacular snow sequences with real snow. I don't think entertaining story telling always needs to be a re- enactment. I watch documentaries for that. Life should imitate art. After hearing and watching news of the shootings at the school, this movie is just what the doctor order to remind us that there are still good people in this world.
I don't care that this movie may have swayed from actual events. The cinematography is stunning, really showcasing nature and the ruggedness of the mountains. Spectacular snow sequences with real snow. I don't think entertaining story telling always needs to be a re- enactment. I watch documentaries for that. Life should imitate art. After hearing and watching news of the shootings at the school, this movie is just what the doctor order to remind us that there are still good people in this world.
We watched this movie thinking it was a docudrama and would provide information about the real story. I read the book written by the women who was the 'true' main character and the only factual thing in this movie are a couple of names and the fact that the two horses were stranded. The movie changed the characters and their involvement, left out several of the main players, altered the story time line, and then fictionalized about 90% of the movie. The result is a very bad telling of the event including a preposterous wolf attack. The actual story is fascinating and is not well served by this TV movie melodramatic script that is so flimsily based on the real events. Tragic, it could have been done so much better.
This is a true story about a father and his daughter who mobilize the residents of a small Canadian town near McBride B.C to rescue two starving horses trapped on a snow covered mountainside.
First discovered by snowmobilers the story is soon picked up by the media and the entire country watches the community pull together, digging a mile long trench through 10 feet deep snow back onto a logging road to rescue the abandoned horses.
This made for TV movie runs every Christmas where I live and I've seen it a couple times now. I think I originally watched it because Aidan Quinn was in it -not sure how or why he made this? but its pretty good all round.
I like the fact that it was obviously filmed in real winter, its cold, it does not look fun for the actors with deep blowing snow, very bad, true BC weather not the fake sunshiny stuff filmed in the summer like most Xmas movies seem to be. The family dynamics portrayed here are good- assume also true- family on the verge of moving, no work at the mill, the vet out of his element in the severe cold. The horses have also been made to look rough, patchy hair, bad hooves. A good bit of Canadiana.
First discovered by snowmobilers the story is soon picked up by the media and the entire country watches the community pull together, digging a mile long trench through 10 feet deep snow back onto a logging road to rescue the abandoned horses.
This made for TV movie runs every Christmas where I live and I've seen it a couple times now. I think I originally watched it because Aidan Quinn was in it -not sure how or why he made this? but its pretty good all round.
I like the fact that it was obviously filmed in real winter, its cold, it does not look fun for the actors with deep blowing snow, very bad, true BC weather not the fake sunshiny stuff filmed in the summer like most Xmas movies seem to be. The family dynamics portrayed here are good- assume also true- family on the verge of moving, no work at the mill, the vet out of his element in the severe cold. The horses have also been made to look rough, patchy hair, bad hooves. A good bit of Canadiana.
Did you know
- TriviaEpilogue before end credits: "The family remains on their ranch outside the town of McBride. Since their heroic rescue from Mount Renshaw, the horses have been adopted and are now healthy and happy."
- Crazy creditsDedication before end credits: "The movie is dedicated to the Jeck family, and all those who help dig the long trench to freedom."
- ConnectionsRemake of Le Noël d'Heartland (2010)
Details
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
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