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\u201cRun Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco,\u201d as feature-length documentary about ultra-running legend Micah True will premiere at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis on Monday, November 9 at 7 p.m. The one-night-only event is co-sponsored by Minneapolis Running and the TC Running Company.<\/span><\/p>\n Micah True, better known as Caballo Blanco \u2013 the White Horse \u2013 was the focal character of Christopher McDougall\u2019s 2009 best-selling book \u201cBorn to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen\u201d about the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico. Also known as the Rar\u00e1muri, or Running People, they are some of the best long-distance runners in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n Caballo Blanco was an enigmatic visionary who lived and ran with the Tarahumara after moving to remote Copper Canyon in the 1990s, and who created the fifty-mile Copper Canyon Ultra-Marathon to honor their running traditions and aid in their sustainability. Now in its thirteenth year, the race attracts hundreds of local Tarahumara to the village of Urique to compete alongside some of the best runners in the world. All race finishers receive five hundred pounds of corn, which the international runners traditionally donate to the local Tarahumara, commemorating the spirit of sharing, or \u201ck\u00f3rima,\u201d which is a way of life among the natives of Copper Canyon.<\/span><\/p>\n The documentary is directed by Sterling Noren, a filmmaker from Seattle who met Micah True in 2009. Most of the material for the film was recorded in the weeks leading up to the 2012 race. Shortly after that race, Micah True disappeared in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico during his daily run, prompting ultra-runners from all over the country to drop everything and join in the search. His body was recovered several days later, found on a trail in a deserted canyon by some of his friends.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to tell the story of Micah True in a way that was exciting and authentic, so that viewers could get a sense of what an amazing and inspiring person he was,\u201d said Noren, of Seattle. \u201cMicah\u2019s vision lives on and his legacy is honored in this film. The film shares Micah\u2019s compelling message of love, hope and k\u00f3rima with the world while helping sustain the people and culture that meant so much to him. We\u2019re honored to be part of this project and are committed to keeping Micah\u2019s mission alive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMicah\u2019s genuine passion for honoring the sacred running traditions of the Tarahumara people was the essence of his being,\u201d said Maria Walton, executive producer of the film and Micah True\u2019s girlfriend at the time of his death. \u201cWe made this film to share Micah\u2019s vision of hope for the Tarahumara culture and empower people everywhere with his joy of running.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The 90-minute film recently won the 2015 Bud Greenspan Memorial Film and Video Award, presented by the Track & Field Writers of America. In addition, the film also was named winner of the prestigious Award of Excellence from the IndieFEST Film Awards, which recognizes film, television and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, contributing to profound social change. The IndieFEST Film Awards said of its latest winners, \u201cThe IndieFEST is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries,\u201d of which Run Free was singled out for its creative excellence.<\/span><\/p>\n Most recently, the film was named the Best Documentary at the 2015 Arizona International Film Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n A percentage of the film\u2019s profits, including from DVD sales, will go to benefit Norawas de Rar\u00e1muri (Friends of the Running People), the non-profit agency founded by Micah True to preserve traditional Tarahumara culture. Norawas de Rar\u00e1muri works to provide maize, non-GMO seed corn, and cash awards for participating Tarahumara runners, both men and women alike. On this way, the organization offers Tarahumara families nutrition during drought and support for a tradition of small farms necessary to both physical and cultural survival.<\/span><\/p>\n