I came across Unbranded on Netflix the other night and while often my netflix experience consists solely of looking for decent enough movies to watch and calling it a night when I can’t find any, I stopped at Unbranded, clicked play and was held captive for the film’s enirety.

While the flyfishing action does not take center stage, it is there all along in the essence of exploration and outdoor activity that so often happens on our public lands and the larger takeaway message is that this sort of adventure isn’t possible without the public land that holds so much possibility for awe and experiences that just aren’t available elsewhere.

“Four young Cowboys hatch an outrageous plot to adopt, train, and ride a string of wild mustangs 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada through the wildest terrain of the American West. The trip became an epic journey of self-discovery, tested friendships, and iconic landscapes that included runaway horses, a sassy donkey, perilous mountain passes, rodeos, sickness, injury, and death. The Audience Award winner at Telluride Mountainfilm and Hot Docs Film Festival, Unbranded is a soaring tale of danger and resilience, an emotionally charged odyssey that shines a bright light on the complex plight of our country’s wild horses.”