John Horse

JOHN HORSE OVERVIEW

Overview of a Story and Screenplay by Walt Alexander and James Riordan
In an era when historic black stories are like diamonds in the rough, with a host of powerful Hollywood actors, director and producers searching for the best, comes the long untold, legend of John Horse. John Horse, also known as Juan Caballo, or Gopher John was the dominant Black Seminole personality for half a century. He counseled Seminole leaders, served as an agent of the U.S. government, and became a Mexican Army officer. He served the Seminole Maroons as warrior, diplomat, and patriarch, and represented their interests in both Washinton, D.C. and Mexico City. At various time he fought for the freedom of his people against the United States, the French, and Indians and survived three wars, four attempts on his life, and the near constant stalking of slave hunters.

Little is known of John Horse’s early years but by 1826 he was living in his owner’s village near Tampa Bay, Florida http://www.blackpast.org/entries-categories/florida.  During the Second Seminole War, 1835-42, he initially led Maroons against U.S. forces in Florida, but, offered the promise of freedom, he agreed to surrender and relocate west with the Seminoles in March 1837.  By 1840, John Horse had married Susan July, the daughter of a Seminole Maroon guide and interpreter.  Fearing that his family, and his fellow Maroons would be re-enslaved, Horse entered into an alliance with disaffected Seminoles and left Indian Territory in November 1849 for northern Mexico.

Naming Horse’s followers Mascogos, the Mexicans in 1852 gave the Maroons, Seminoles, and a band of Southern Kickapoos separate land grants at Nacimiento to establish military colonies.  In exchange for land, tools, and livestock, the immigrants agreed to fight against Apache and Comanche raiders.  The Mexican authorities viewed John Horse as the undisputed head of the Mascogos and referred to him as El Capitán Juan Caballo.

During the summer of 1870, John Horse and many of the Mascogos returned to the United States and settled near Fort Duncan, Texas. In August, the able-bodied men enrolled in the U.S. Army as a new unit that came to be known as the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts. John Horse, however, never served with the scouts. After a failed assassination attempt against him by white Texans, Horse again led the Mascogos into Mexico. He died there in 1882 while on a mission to represent them before Mexican president Porfirio Diaz. Without question his story is the greatest untold one for people of color and his passion for freedom and truth will touch all races, all people with a heart for love.

SCREENPLAY AWARDS

FestivalStatusYear
San Antonio Film FestivalWinner2018
Independent Talents International Film FestivalSelected2018
Best Script Awards LondonNominated2025
Las Vegas Black Film FestivalFinalist2019
The American Film AwardsWinner2019
Austin Revolution Film FestivalSelected2019
Lucky Strike Film FestivalSelected2019
Los Angeles International Underground Film FestivalWinner2019
Hollywood International Diversity Film FestivalFinalist2020
New York International Film FestivalSelected2022
Oxford Script AwardsSelected2022/23
Magic Silver Screen Film FestivalWinner2023
Cannes Film FestivalSelected2023
CLIMAX Festival Internacional de CinemaNominated2023
Toronto Film and Script AwardsNominated2024
Author Script AwardsWinner2024
FILMHAUSNominated2024
Chicago Script AwardsWinner2024
Dallas Movie FestWinner2024
Lonely Wolf (LWIFF)Nominated2024
Sensei Film FestWinner2024
NYC Independent Film FestivalSelected2024
Everest Film FestivalWinner2024
Alpine International Film FestivalSelected2024
New York Metropolitain Screenwriting and Film AwardsQuarter Finalist2024
NYC International Screenplay AwardsSemi-Finalist2024
Hollywood International Indie Screenplay AwardsSelected2024
Scriptmax Screenwriting FellowshipSemi-Finalist2024
New York Film and Actress AwardsWinner2024
New York Independent Cinema AwardsWinner2024
Los Angeles Film and Documentary AwardsSelected2024
FARO Concurso de Cinema Mediterrâneo e MundialNominated2025
NYC Independent Film FestivalQuarter-Finalist2024
Golden Pen Script AwardsSelected2025
Los Angeles Movie and Music Video AwardsSelected2025
Best Script Awards LondonNominated2025
Golden Pen Script AwardsWinner2025