‘The Mustang’ Trailer: Matthias Schoenaerts Attempts To Train Wild Horses In This Sundance Selection

It’s that time of year again. No, we’re not talking about the holidays or awards season. Those are great and all, but we’re talking about Sundance trailers. That’s right, with the first major festival of 2019 already announced, we’re going to start seeing trailers for the films being released over the next few weeks. And first one out of the gate is an especially interesting one – “The Mustang.”

“The Mustang” tells the story of a convict that’s struggling after 12 years in prison. He doesn’t get along with fellow inmates, preferring solitary, and he’s at a breaking point with his young daughter. But he begins to turn a corner thanks to the titular animal, a wild horse that he becomes friendly with, as he begins work with animal rehabilitation.

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While that synopsis might sound a little melodramatic, the talent behind the film is enough to warrant the benefit of the doubt. Even though he’s a superstar around these parts, Matthias Schoenaerts is practically unrecognizable in the lead in the film. The Belgian actor is in some of our favorite films of the last several years and looks to potentially breakout in the States in this film. He’s joined by Bruce Dern and Jason Mitchell, one a legendary actor and the other a recent up-and-comer that is garnering a lot of attention.

“The Mustang” will premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which begins January 24, 2019.

Here’s the synopsis:

Roman (Matthias Schoenaerts), a convict in a prison in rural Nevada, participates in a rehabilitation program in which he trains wild mustangs. He struggles to connect with the horses and his fellow inmates alike. But in time, working alongside young convict Henry (Jason Mitchell) and an old trainer Myles (Bruce Dern), Roman soothes an especially feisty horse and confronts his own violent past. Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival. In Theaters March 2019.