The official poster for Year of the Horse an innovative documentary exploring humanity’s connection with horses through the lens of Chinese zodiac tradition.
During a seemingly ordinary Spring Festival gathering in 2018, acclaimed producer Sun Shuyun sparked an extraordinary quest. As her family celebrated with traditional delicacies, Sun’s curiosity about the profound meanings behind Chinese zodiac signs led her to pose a simple yet revealing question: “What does your animal sign genuinely represent in your life?”
The responses she received—mostly variations of “It brings good luck and happiness”—left the documentarian unsatisfied. “I felt there must be deeper cultural and historical layers to these zodiac animals that we’ve overlooked,” Sun reflects on that pivotal moment.
This intellectual hunger launched a five-year odyssey that would take Sun across four continents, documenting the extraordinary relationships between humans and six distinct horse breeds. The fruits of her labor, Year of the Horse, made its debut at the 15th Beijing International Film Festival on April 21, marking a milestone in cultural documentary filmmaking.
Breaking new ground as one of the world’s first zodiac-themed documentary films, Year of the Horse is scheduled for a symbolic release on the first day of 2026—the next Year of the Horse according to the Chinese calendar. The production will be available in three specialized formats: an 85-minute standard version for television and digital platforms, a visually stunning 40-minute giant-screen edition for immersive theaters, and a 15-minute educational version tailored for young audiences.
“Throughout human civilization, horses have served as our most vital allies,” Sun explains. “They’ve carried us across continents, powered our agriculture, and even altered the trajectory of wars and empires. This documentary aims to honor that profound interspecies relationship through the cultural prism of the Chinese zodiac.”
The film weaves together seven emotionally resonant standalone stories, each highlighting a unique aspect of the human-equine bond while exploring the zodiac’s cultural significance. From Mongolian steppes to European battlefields, Year of the Horse captures rarely-seen perspectives on how these majestic animals have shaped—and continue to shape—human history.
