Southern Circuit Finalist: Brannu: The Urban Horseman
Filmmaker: Adelin Gasana
Location: Atlanta, GA
Wild Man. Animal abuser. Squatter. Crazy. Troublemaker. These are the labels hurled at Brandon “Brannu” Fulton, a horseman and rancher in southwest Fulton County, Georgia. For a decade, he has trained horses and built a life on his 27-acre property while facing relentless pressure from city and county officials. Cited, arrested, and challenged at every turn, Brannu fights to protect his land and livelihood. This documentary chronicles his 10-year journey to keep, preserve, and build on his land. His story explores the legal and moral boundaries of ownership, freedom, and property amid gentrification and rapid urbanization. Cameras capture his daily struggles and resilience as he defends his version of the American Dream.
"As a Rwandan-born, American documentary filmmaker I have been drawn to stories that examine identity, power, memory, and self-determination. For nearly two decades, I have created character-driven, subject-oriented nonfiction films that explore the intersections of history, politics, and the lived experience. My journey began in college when I first understood how documentary cinema could humanize complexity and challenge dominant narratives. Since then, I have been committed to telling stories with nuance—embracing ambiguity, contradiction, and layered truths rather than easy conclusions." — Adelin Gasana
