Zhao’s enthralling portrait of America’s cowboy culture provides an archetypal story of a man redefining his hopes and ambitions. Once a rising star on the rodeo circuit, Brady is warned that his competition days are over after a tragic riding accident. Back home in South Dakota, he finds himself wondering what he has to live for when he can no longer do what gives him a sense of purpose. In an attempt to regain control of his fate, Brady undertakes a search for new identity and what it means to be a man. “The Rider is a rare gem, a small, acutely observed portrait . . . of a tough way of life, one that produces and requires a strong sense of identity and values.”—The Hollywood Reporter.

Filmography: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015)

Reviews: Little White Lies, Village Voice, IndieWire, Variety

Interviews: Reverse Shot, MUBI Notebook, Village Voice