Today (June 28) brings with it the first installment of Kevin Coster‘s ambitious theatrical adventure, ‘Horizon: An American Saga.’

Chapter One of a planned four-part film series sees the actor, director, and writer’s vision – one he conceived in 1988 – gallop onto the big screen.

The movie spotlights the expansion of the American West, before and after the Civil War.

Raw and unbridled, it chronicles the experience of Native Americans who watched their lands become colonized as well as the narrative of those who were determined to settle there, often at any cost.

Beyond reviving the Western genre, ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ (which also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, and Tatanka Means) has been praised for depicting strong womanhood and its intentional casting of talent from the indigenous tribes featured.

Ahead of the film’s release, That Grape Juice attended a press conference with Costner and the cast, who opened up about the

Costner on His Approach to Moulding ‘Horizon: An American Saga'”

“Well, when I do a story, I don’t wanna stop ‘til it’s finished. And when I look at it, I try to understand what it was. And it was really a journey. It’s not a plot movie. And so, it was four. And, you know, my idea wasnot to wait to see if the first one was successful. I believe in telling this story. The only way this is successful, in my mind, is that it’s complete. And I, you know, listen, we’re all given crayons in school and we each make a picture and it looks different. And there’s different directors, and I don’t know what my bag is. But, you know, I just do it a little differently, and that’s just the way it goes

Sienna Miller on Playing a Bold Character:

“And I think every character in this has something going on. Mine is incredibly brave and courageous and resentful, but forward thinking and compromising her own needs for her daughter. She’s a survivor. You kind of have to be. So, I was thrilled. Also, if Kevin Costner calls you and says will you come do a Western, you like, you run. You run. [laughs] So, I’m very happy to be here.”

Tanaka Means on Authenticity:

“We’re enrolled tribal members. And I’m thankful to, grateful to Kevin for casting us because I think a lot of our roles have been taken by people that claim some of our Indigenous blood or ancestry. And we lose important roles like that that help us in our careers. So, to have this blessing to go in there and portray the Apache people and to work with them one one-on-one with Aurelia and the dialect coaches was important to us because we’re Native.

When we see our people on screen being represented, you know, we want that authenticity. We want to hear our language spoken correctly and not butchered, you know. It brings pride to us. And not only to the Apache people, but to all the Indigenous Native people, you know, in North America to see your language and hear it on the big screen. You know, that brings pride in us. Like when I heard Dances with Wolves and they were speaking the Lakota language fluently to each other, having conversations, that brings pride inside of you.

It makes you want to learn it. It makes you want to keep that going because it’s important, you know, to our people. And we tried hard and, you know, I think we pulled it off and I was really happy with  everybody’s hard work. And that’s what Kevin asked for in the beginning was to work hard and to be ready and be prepared. And we were.”

That Grape Juice’s Hot Take:

‘Horizon: An American Saga’ is a compelling watch that draws on the nostalgia embedded in the Western format and makes a measured effort at reconfiguring it for the modern mass.

**********

‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ is out now

Your thoughts?