This is a story of man, beast and terrain. In 2005 Hugh MacDermott, a young man dealing with several personal problems, took on a 2 year trek in Argentina as a long rider. This is his story, and it is a deeply personal one.
It’s a tale of a man who dealt with family tragedy at an early age, who came to terms with his sexuality as a gay man, and who overcame his shyness to engage with horses and the open trail. It occasionally hits hard: one commenter states that “if Hugh’s dad knew there was a documentary, he probably wouldn’t watch it”.
MacDermott himself comes across as a man who grew up privileged enough to be able to find this route for self-healing and self-absorption, but he is likeable and reflective throughout. The Long Quiet is a slow, thoughtful journey through the bond between horse and rider.
This isn’t just a documentary. it is a character piece that covers matters of self-discovery, spirituality, and sensibility. There isn’t really a narrative, there are moments of introspection and of reinactment, while friends and colleagues share their thoughts with us.
It’s a film that presents beautiful landscapes and locations with a story of friendship, humanity, and overcoming adversity. It’s about travelling, connecting, understanding. I thought of two fiction films while I watched The Long Quiet, both of which had a similar pace and idealism. David Lynch’s The Straight Story (1999) and Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer (1998) both took the idea of bonding with people on a journey (in the former) and bonding with equine companions (in the latter).
MacDermott, in taking this journey with himself and his mount Pancho, finds solace and acceptance in himself and who he is. For a long rider, the intensity is more than the distance, and seeing this rider return after twenty years, to the mountains of Argentina, feels right, and rather emotional.
The Long Quiet is written and directed by Lucy D’Cruz and can be seen along with over 60 other shorts and features by purchasing a Breeze Online pass here: https://londonbreezefilmfestival.com/purchase-pass/, live from midnight 21 Oct to midnight 2 Nov.