Joan of Arc
Ten years before her death, Joan hears voices. Six years later, from the village of Domremy, she begins her mission to unite France under King Charles. First she leads a defense of Vaucouleurs against the Burgundians, then obtains safe passage to Charles, the Dauphin. He uses her, as the embodiment of the mythical "Maid of Lorraine," to raise an army, and he sends her to the rescue of Orléans. After Charles is crowned, Joan leads a disastrous campaign in Paris, where her brother dies. Then she's the victim of Charles's manipulations: she's captured in Burgundy, sold to the English, examined by Bishop Cauchon, found a heretic by the Inquisition, and burned at the stake.
- Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Jacqueline Bisset
- Director(s): Christian Duguay
- Producer(s): Maid of Orleans Productions
- Screenwriter(s): Michael Alexander Miller, Ronald Parker
- Distributor: Atlantis/Alliance
- Animal Coordinator: Unknown
Featured Animal Action
Joan of Arc was filmed in the Czech Republic outside of AHA's jurisdiction. Questions have arisen concerning the high-risk horse work that appears in the production. AHA reviewed the video. The footage indicates that trained rearing horses were most likely used, although the stunt riders appear to deliberately pull the animals over backward on a slope so that they fall and roll downhill. There is another scene where the horses get out of a river and then sink in mud up to their chests. Depending on the footing provided, there may or may not have been risk to the horses. According to the trainer, trained falling horses were used, in some instances animatronics were used to double for live horses and editing techniques created the allusion of dangerous action. Although the trainer has assured AHA that there is a video document of how the animal action was accomplished, it has not been submitted to AHA for review.