Filipe Masetti Leite's documentary premieres in Calgary
A young cowboy's epic journey 10 years in the making comes to life on the big screen for Calgary audiences starting on Canada Day.
The Long Rider is a documentary film shot by Filipe Masetti Leite with his story of adventure departing from the Calgary Stampede bound for his family's property in Brazil -- but the journey takes him beyond what he could've imagined.
"The first time I hit record on this project was over a decade ago," Leite told CTV News on Friday.
His long ride began in Calgary in 2012, when he left the Calgary Stampede grounds with his horses packed and headed south.
Leite captured about 500 hours of video, as he and three horses rode through the 12 countries between Canada, U.S.A. Central and South America over two years.
Leite is the youngest person to journey on horseback through this part of the world.
In 2020, he returned to the Calgary Stampede as the parade marshal, which he's described as an honour for a cowboy with a dream.
"Literally I feel like I have family in Calgary. I feel the Calgary Stampede is a part of my story and it feels amazing to share this film with audiences in Calgary," said Leite.
His journey to reach his family ranch in Brazil was at times lonely, even dangerous.
The Long Rider is a documentary film shot by Filipe Masetti Leite with his story of adventure departing from the Calgary Stampede bound for his family's property in Brazil -- but the journey takes him beyond what he could've imagined.
"It was fraught with speeding transport trucks and corruption at borders and nature's wrath," said the documentary film director Sean Cisterna.
Leite's journey didn't end in Brazil; he embarked on more long rides totalling more than 25,000 kilometres.
Along the way he learned more about himself, his horses, his family, and his sense of home.
The filmmakers say they wanted his global perspective to translate on screen.
"It's rooted in Canada but its so expansive and it definitely bridges the gap between north and south and Latin America," said Cisterna.
The Long Rider premieres in Calgary at the Cineplex Eau Claire with showings at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on July 1st.
The documentary will be shown in theatres around the world later this summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau says he could have acted faster on immigration changes, blames 'bad actors'
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could have acted faster on reining in immigration programs, after blaming 'bad actors' for gaming the system.
Apparent Taylor Swift ticket scam targets hundreds who claim to be out $300K
An apparent scam allegedly targeting roughly four hundred people, many of whom based out of Burlington, Ont., claim to be out approximately $300,000 in total after believing they were purchasing Taylor Swift tickets in Toronto, but never receiving them.
Biden authorizes Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, easing limitations on the weapons.
Canadian baby and toddler sleepwear recalled, risk of catching fire: Health Canada
Hundreds of organic baby- and toddler-sized rompers sold by an Ontario-based sustainable clothing company have been recalled over concerns they could catch fire and injure children, according to Health Canada.
Parliament on the road to an unprecedented confidence crisis, but there are off-ramps
If no political party is willing to say uncle, the drawn-out stalemate in the House of Commons is heading for an unprecedented situation that could amount to a tacit lack of confidence in the government, without anyone in Parliament casting a vote.
Doctors say RFK Jr.'s anti-Ozempic stance perpetuates stigma and misrepresents evidence
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to tackle high rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity as President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services. They’re goals that many in the public health world find themselves agreeing with — despite fearing what else the infamous anti-vaccine activist may do in the post.
Dwayne Johnson's US$200 million+ Christmas pic opens to US$34.1 million
Moviegoers were not exactly feeling the Christmas spirit this weekend, or at least what 'Red One' was offering. The big budget, star-driven action comedy with Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans sold US$34.1 million in tickets in its first weekend in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. It easily topped a box office populated mostly by holdovers.
Winnipeg man charged with biting police officer during investigation
Winnipeg police have charged a man after an officer was bit during an investigation earlier this year.
Trump's Pentagon pick paid woman after sex assault allegation but denies wrongdoing, his lawyer says
Pete Hegseth, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit, according to Hegseth's lawyer.