Filmmaker Ashley Avis Launches ‘Lost Horses’ Campaign at Sundance
Filmmaker Ashley Avis, best known for her work on Black Beauty, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at drawing national attention to the plight of horses in the United States. Through her nonprofit organisation, The Wild Beauty Foundation, Avis has introduced the Lost Horses campaign; a creative effort that blends cinematic storytelling with advocacy in support of stronger protections for America’s equines.
The ‘Lost Horses: Anthem Film’ debuted at the Sundance Film Festival with a powerful public service announcement set to Billie Eilish’s Oscar-winning song What Was I Made For?, and features a remarkable group of artists, athletes and advocates recounting their personal connections to horses. Participants include Olympians Jessica Springsteen and Karl Cook, actors such as Mackenzie Foy and Beth Behrs, members of the Compton Cowboys collective, and other voices from both the entertainment and equestrian communities.
With the first PSA premiering at Sundance’s Blue Sky Ski Lounge, the Lost Horses campaign seeks to use the emotional impact of film and storytelling to highlight the tens of thousands of American horses who are lost to slaughter or disappear into what advocates describe as an opaque and troubling system. The campaign also supports the bipartisan Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act, legislation that would permanently prohibit horse slaughter in the United States and halt the export of horses for processing abroad.
Avis, who competed on the hunter-jumper circuit in her youth and later directed Black Beauty for Disney Plus, has steadily positioned her creative work alongside advocacy for equine welfare. She established The Wild Beauty Foundation to bring attention to the issues facing both wild and domestic horses, and Lost Horses represents the next phase of that mission, blending art and activism to reach a broader audience.
The campaign will extend beyond the initial Sundance PSA, rolling out a series of short films, traditional and digital announcements, and live events designed to share individual stories that resonate with viewers and illuminate the deep bonds between people and horses. These narratives range from wild mustangs and rescue horses to lesson ponies and Olympic competitors, underscoring both the diversity of the equine world and the urgency of protections advocates believe are needed.
Lawmakers involved with the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act have welcomed the partnership with The Wild Beauty Foundation, emphasising the power of storytelling to raise public awareness and galvanise support for legislative change. As congressional supporters work to advance the bill, organisers behind Lost Horses hope the campaign’s blend of art and advocacy will inspire broader public engagement and help secure meaningful, lasting protections for horses across the country.
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