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NOMANSLAND

WORLDPREMIEREDOCUMENTARYCOMPETITION

DirectedbyDavidByarsDirectorofPhotographyDavidByars

ProducedbyDavidByars,MorganSpurlock,JeremyChilnick,DavidHolbrooke,DavidOsit,RachelTraub,StashWislocki

ExecutiveProducedbyThomBeers,MichaelBloom,DanCogan,AdamPincusEditedbyDavidOsit

MusicbyLOW

RunningTime:80Minuteshttps://www.nomanslandthefilm.com/

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Foradditionalinformationpleasecontact:

MarianKoltai-LevineMarian.Koltai@pmkbnc.com212-373-6130|OmarGonzalesOmar.Gonzales@pmkbnc.com212-373-0116LeighWolfsonLeigh.Wolfson@pmkbnc.com212-373-6149|SavannahFreedSavannah.Freed@pmkbnc.com212-373-6106

SALESAGENTSUBMARINEJoshBraunjosh@submarine.com|BenSchwartzSchwartz@submarine.com212-625-1410

SHORTSYNOPSIS

With unfettered access, Director and Director of Photography David Byars gives a detailed, on-the-groundaccountofthe2016standoffbetweenprotestorsoccupyingOregonsMalheurNationalWildlifeRefuge and federal authorities. After the leaders of this occupation put out a call to arms via socialmedia, the Malheur occupiers quickly bolstered their numbers with a stew of right-wing militia,protestors,andonlookers.Whatbeganasaprotesttocondemnthesentencingoftworanchersquicklymorphedintoacatchallforthoseeagertoregistertheirmilitantantipathytowardthefederalgovernment.Duringthe41-daysiege,the filmmakers were granted remarkable access to the inner workings of the insurrection as theoccupierswentaboutthedailybusinessofengaginginanarmedoccupation.NOMANSLANDdocumentstheoccupationfrominceptiontoitsdramaticdemiseandtellsthestoryofthose on the inside of this movement - the ideologues, the disenfranchised, and the dangerouslyquixotic,attemptingtouncoverwhatdrawsAmericanstotheedgeofrevolution.

LONGSYNOPSISIn January of 2016, protestors gathered in Burns,Oregon to denounce the federal sentencing of tworanchers.During theprotest, a group ledbyAmmonBundybrokeoff and tookover nearbyMalheurWildlife Refuge. The occupation quickly attracted a stew of right-wing militia and protestors. Whatbeganasaprotesttocondemnthesentencingmorphedintoacatchallforthoseeagertoregistertheirmilitantantipathytowardthefederalgovernment.TheMalheur occupation drew the national spotlight, attractingmedia fascinated by the spectacle ofcowboysandmilitiarebellingagainstthefederalgovernment.ThesiegealsoattractedtheattentionoftheFBI,whosetupacommandcenternearbytocountertheoccupiers.Duringthe41-daysiege,thedirectorandcinematographerDavidByarswasgrantedremarkableaccessto the innerworkingsof the insurrectionas themilitantswentabout thedailybusinessof runninganarmedoccupation.Events atMalheur took a bloody turnwhen federal agentswaylaid the leaders of the occupation enroutetoacommunitymeeting.Acarchaseensuedthatresultedinthearrestsoftheentireinsurgencyleadershipand thedramaticon-camerashootingdeathofLaVoyFinicum, thesemi-official spokesmanforthegroup.NOMANSLANDdocumentstheoccupationfrominceptiontodemiseandtellsthestoryofthoseontheinsideofthismovement,attemptingtouncoverwhatdrawsAmericanstotheedgeofrevolution.

DIRECTORSSTATEMENTInAprilof2014,ClivenBundy,his family,andhis followers famouslyandsuccessfully rebuked federalagentsat gunpointwhowereattempting to confiscate theBundys cattleoverunpaid federal grazingfees. Iwasimmediatelyfascinatedwiththeimageryofthisstandoffandtheintensityandcertitudeofthose involved. Itwas clear tome that thiswas less about grazing allotments than about competingvisionsforwhatAmericashouldbe.WhenIlearnedthattheBundysweretakingtheirvictoryontheroadtosupportafederallandsprotestinRecaptureCanyon(amerethreehourdrivefrommyhomeinColorado),Ijumpedattheopportunitytoattendanddocumentthisevent.At Recapture Canyon, I firstmet Ryan Bundy and became familiar with the personalities behind thismovement. Itwas at this point that I set out tomakea film that explores the intractabledivide thatcharacterizesournationaldiscourseviathemicrocosmofthefederallandsacrimony.A year and a half passed, during which I was researching thismovement and reaching out to thosewithin it.WhenAmmonBundy (ClivenBundysson)andhis followers tookover theMalheurNationalWildlife Refuge in Oregon in January of 2016, I immediately flew to Burns and began filming. Myexperience therewas that,while therewere folks there thatwerewellversed in ranching issues, thiswasaboutmuchmorethangrazingallotments.Theprotestors(armedandunarmed)Imettherehadavague,butprofoundsensethattheAmericatheyheldintheirmindswasinperil.When I first conceived of this film, many folks assumed that NOMAN'S LAND would be a hit piecelampooningthearmed-protestors.But,havinggrowingupinthesemi-ruralSouth,Iknowthesepeople.Igrewupsurroundedbymistrustofwhattheycalltheliberalelite.Ialsoknowthattheirmistrustisnotaltogether misplaced. In my lifetime, I've seen the left/right paradigm grow from a strained, yetrespectful discourse, to a gaping divide never to be crossed.And, while I disagreewith theMalheurprotestors on many fronts,I would not make a film that off-handedly discounts their grievances orpaintsthemassimpletons.InAmerica,wecraveabsolutes.Weliketoclearlydelineateideologyinblackandwhite,evenifthatisseldomthecase,anddemonizethosewhoholdviewpointsthatdifferfromourown.Buttodisavowanynuance or complexity would be to deny ourselves an opportunity to understand those who havebecome dangerously marginalized. Until we as a country makes an effort to bridge the divide thatcharacterizesournationaldiscourse,acrimoniouselementswillrulethedayandcompassionandcivilitywillbeviewedwithsuspicion.Withoutnuancedandempatheticdiscussions,ourcountrywillsuffertheconsequencestothedetrimentofallAmericans.

- DavidGarrettByars

ABOUTTHEFILMMAKERSDAVIDGARRETTBYARS(Director,DirectorofPhotography,Producer)David Garrett Byarswillmake his directorial debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festivalwith NOMANSLAND,adocumentaryaboutthe2016occupationoftheMalheurNationalWildlifeRefugethatsparkedinternationalheadlines.ByarsisalsocurrentlyworkingwithReelThingsSuzanBerazaasaproduceranddirectorofphotographyonherupcomingfilmMASSACRERIVER.HejoinedReelThingProductionsin2009,workingasaneditor,cameraman,andsoundtechnicianonURANIUMDRIVE-IN.Byars additional work includes directing two short films, SELF STORAGE, a narrative short aboutexistential dread and redemption, and RECAPTURE, a short documentary chronicling the attempt ofright-wingactiviststoreclaimthefederally-managedRecaptureCanyoninsouthernUtah.MORGANSPURLOCK(Producer)Morgan Spurlock is an award-winning and Academy Award-nominatedwriter, director, producer andFounder&CEOoffull-serviceNewYork-basedproductionstudioWarriorPoets.Hisfirstfilm,SUPERSIZEME,premieredattheSundanceFilmFestivalin2004,winningBestDirectinghonors,aswellasgarneranAcademyAwardnominationforBestFeatureDocumentary.Sincethenhehasdirected,producedanddistributedmultiplefilm,televisionanddigitalprojects,includingthecriticallyacclaimedCNNtelevisionseries Morgan Spurlock Inside Man, the FX series 30 Days, the films WHERE IN THE WORLD ISOSAMABINLADEN?,WGAandEmmynominatedTHESIMPSONS20THANNIVERSARYSPECIAL:IN3-D!ON ICE!, FREAKONOMICS,POMWONDERFULPRESENTS: THEGREATESTMOVIEEVERSOLD, andmostrecently,RATSandTHEEAGLEHUNTRESS.JEREMYCHILNICK(Producer)JeremyChilnick isanEmmy-nominatedwriterandproducer.HeiscurrentlyPartner&COOatMorganSpurlocks New York based production company Warrior Poets, where he oversees all aspects ofproductionforfilm,televisionanddigitalcontent.Sinceco-foundingWarriorPoets,Chilnickhaswrittenand/or produced multiple films, and television series, and digital projects, including the criticallyacclaimedandIDAAward-winningCNNtelevisionseriesMorganSpurlockInsideMan,Showtimes7Deadly Sins, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN?, the Emmy and WGA nominated TheSimpsons20thAnniversarySpecial:In3-D!OnIce!,FREAKONOMICS,POMWONDERFULPRESENTS:THEGREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD, COMIC-CON: EPISODE IV A FANS HOPE, MANSOME, and ONEDIRECTION: THIS ISUS.Hismost recent credits include THE PISTOL SHRIMPS, VLOGUMENTARY, RATSandTHEEAGLEHUNTRESS.DAVIDHOLBROOKE(Producer)DavidHolbrooke is the FestivalDirector of TellurideMountainfilm, a film/ideas/art festival that takesplaceeveryMemorialDayweekend.HeisalsothedirectorofTHEDIPLOMAT,adocumentaryabouthisfather, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. The film aired on HBO and was voted one of the Top FiveDocumentaries of 2015 by the prestigious National Board of Review. Holbrooke appeared on CharlieRose,AllThingsConsideredandTheDailyShowtopromotethefilm.HislatestfilmisNOMANSLAND,whichheproducedandwillpremiereatTribecaFilmFestivalin2017.Holbrookespentmorethanadecadeproducingtelevisionnews,workingatCNBC,TheTodayShow,CBSNewsandCNN.Heleftthatworldtogoworkforadotcomthathadagreatideabutterribleexecutionand it imploded.After9/11,hestartedmakingdocumentaries that toured festivalsallover theworldandairedonHBO.

In2007,Holbrooke'sstartedprogrammingTellurideMountainfilm,andinthatdecade,thefestivalhasgrownintoaleading-edgegatheringofartistsandactivists,scientistsandseekers,thinkersandmostofall,doers.Mountainfilmthrivesattheintersectionofadventureandideasandisatitsbest,whenitisacombinationoffilmfestival,TEDandBurningMan.Thisyear'sfestivalthemeisTheNewNormal,whichwill look closely at climate change, and also be a grass-roots, community-wide effort to bring theTellurideregiontowardscarbonneutrality.It'sachallengebutTelluridehasbeenaplaceofinnovationbeforeas L.L.Nunn inventedalternating current there.Now, it'sbetter knownasa ski townbut thatinnovativespiritstill runsthrough it,which iswhyHolbrooke livestherewithhiswife, threekids, twodogsandabunchofbikes.DAVIDOSIT(Editor,Producer)DAVIDOSIT is a documentary film director, editor and composer. David co-directed/produced/editedtheaward-winningdocumentaryTHANKYOUFORPLAYING,whichpremieredatthe2015TribecaFilmFestival and broadcast on POV in the fall of