Ilie Mitaru sets equine therapy doc about incarcerated veterans
Act of Service follows a Texas jail program where incarcerated veterans work with horses as part of rehabilitation.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Ilie Mitaru is directing Act of Service, a documentary about a Texas jail program that pairs incarcerated veterans with horses for therapy and training, Deadline reports.
The film is built from Mitaru’s award-winning BBC reporting on the program and is being produced by Peabody Award winner Alex Lieberman, according to Deadline. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, known as IAVA, has joined the project as an executive producer.
Deadline reports that Act of Service follows veterans in the program as they deal with the lasting effects of military service while facing incarceration, addiction, strained family ties and the work of rebuilding after confinement.
The program is part of Veterans Accessing Lifelong Opportunities for Rehabilitation, or VALOR, in Collin County, Texas. Deadline reports the initiative was launched by Judge John Roach Jr., presiding judge of the North Texas Veterans Court and a Marine Corps veteran.
Sheriff Jim Skinner, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and Judge Roach developed the equine therapy effort, Deadline reports. Both are experienced horsemen, and the program also received support from Pat Puckett, a horse trainer and Vietnam veteran.
Who is behind the film
Act of Service is produced by Mitaru’s Format Films in association with Bright West Entertainment, according to Deadline. Mitaru is directing and producing the documentary, with Lieberman also producing.
Dr. Kyleanne Hunter and Manuel Gomez serve as executive producers. Hunter is the chief executive officer of IAVA and a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
IAVA’s role in the documentary is tied to the organization’s effort to raise the profile of stories that show a broader picture of veterans’ lives, Deadline reports.
Mitaru said the project changed the way he thought about the subjects at its center.
“This story challenged many of my own assumptions about incarceration, veterans, and what healing can actually look like,” Mitaru said, according to Deadline. “What began as a journalistic assignment became something much deeper. The veterans who trusted us with their stories revealed extraordinary resilience and humanity in a place most people never think to look. I hope this film invites audiences to reconsider who we deem worthy of compassion, and what becomes possible when we create space for redemption.”
IAVA backs the project
Hunter said IAVA is supporting the film because of how Mitaru and Lieberman have handled the veterans’ stories.
“Ilie and Alex have approached this project with rare integrity and a clear commitment to telling these veterans’ stories the right way,” Hunter said, according to Deadline. “IAVA is committed to ensuring that veterans are seen beyond the uniform and in their full humanity, especially when the stories are hard to tell. We are proud to executive produce a film that brings these experiences forward with honesty and care.”
Lieberman also praised the director and the subject, saying Mitaru was suited to document the VALOR program’s work.
“At its core, this film is about empathy, challenging assumptions, and bringing an overlooked experience into the national conversation. We look forward to bringing this film to audiences in the coming year,” Lieberman said, according to Deadline.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.