THE GREY
Two years ago, in the alpine pastures of Australia’s Snowy Mountains, an unusual friendship formed between a wildlife filmmaker and a wild stallion, known locally as a Brumby.
But it seems the Brumby is no longer welcome in his homeland, and his life is now in peril.
An expedition is being launched to trek into the vast and rugged Australian Snowies in search of this elusive Brumby to reunite these two friends before it’s too late.
Tech Specs
CREDITS
Produced by Remy Tarasin
Line Producer Peter Venn
AD / Camera George Robinson-Hill
2nd Camera Liam Strong
Original film soundtrack by Sam Kelly
Edited by Remy Tarasin
Supervising Colourist Yanni Kronenberg
Colourist Felix Edwards Benwell
Graphic designer Christina Eastman
Supported by Sachtler Systems, Anton/Bauer Batteries, SmallHD and Canon ANZ
SPECIFICATIONS
Colour Colour
Resolution 1080p HD
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Language English
Format Apple ProRes 422 HQ, H264, H265
The Snowy Mountains
Nestled in Australia’s south-east, this rare and unique alpine landscape is Australia’s only alpine ecosystem, and an anomaly to most outsiders. Covered in snow for a quarter of the year, the Snowy Mountains rise to over 2000m and span over 7000 square kilometres of the most wild, rugged and turbulent terrain Australia has to offer.
The landscape is beautiful and charismatic, but also vast and unforgiving. The weather can turn from gentle breezes to thunderous storms with bellowing gales in minutes. In winter, the grassy plateau where the Brumbies shelter often drops to -10 degrees Celsius, and snow and ice form over anything it can grasp.
The Conflict
In the early 1800’s, domestic horses brought by the first European settlers were abandoned but quickly adapted to the alpine terrain of the Snowy Mountains. They became smaller and tougher than their ancestors and were referred to as Brumbies. The Brumby has been woven into Australia’s poetic folklore and is an intrinsic element of the cultural value and identity of the wild and rugged mountain landscape.
The Kosciuszko Brumbies were Heritage Listed in 2018 by the NSW Government for their iconic and intrinsic value to Australian culture. However, because the Brumbies are an introduced species, the government now deems them as damaging to the alpine ecosystem.
In response, the Australian government controversially commenced aerial shooting in November 2023. The aim is to reduce Brumby numbers by over 80%, shooting 6000 horses a year until 2027. Starting April 2024, they will commence shooting in the last known territory of The Grey.
Directors statement
I’ve been travelling to the Snowy Mountains ever since I was a child and it’s become one of my most cherished places to explore in Australia. The rugged landscape, the crisp alpine air, the scribbles on the snow gums and the crystal clear water running between the granite stones are all intrinsic elements of the Snowies ingrained in my heart.
When I encountered this impressive Brumby back in 2022 I recognised how special of a moment it was. Even though I was there to film the landscape and the wildlife I was aware I was experiencing perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime behaviour, where a wild animal seeks out a friendly interaction with you, a human. I had abandoned my camera and instead gave my entire attention to this Brumby. For the remainder of the afternoon until the sun set and the crickets ceased their chirping, I tried to communicate silently with my new Brumby friend. We seemed to be both studying each other and with genuine curiosity, trying to understand the other more completely.
I hadn't registered how much it would shape my future and how strongly I would hold onto that memory. My first Brumby film, Brumbies of Kosciuszko, released only a few months after meeting this Brumby and the response was overwhelming. It has since reached over 145,000 views online and was nominated in several film festivals. I've been blessed with this opportunity to return to the Snowy Mountains with a clear goal in mind to relocate my old friend and produce my most ambitious film yet to make sure I do this story justice, and give my Grey friend the recognition he deserves.
Remy does not claim ownership over all of these images. Some have been borrowed to express the tone and style of the film.