In a small rodeo town surrounded by the last untouched forests of the Pacific Northwest, a timber empire and the Rogue River Nation go head-to-head, both in the arena and beyond, in a modern western battle over land, power, and legacy.
Set in the rugged rodeo country of Southern Oregon, TIMBER LANDS is a modern western family saga about legacy, grief, and the fight for the last wild land of the Pacific Northwest.
After beloved rodeo champion Bo Sterling dies in a tragic accident, his powerful family owned logging empire begins to fracture under the weight of grief, financial pressure, and a looming battle over protected tribal land. Desperate to save Sterling Timber after a devastating wildfire wipes out millions in resources, patriarch Robert Sterling sets his sights on acquiring thousands of acres bordering the Rogue River Reservation, land that has belonged to the Rogue River Nation for generations.
As tensions rise between the wealthy timber family and the Native community fighting to protect their ancestral land, the next generation becomes caught in the middle. Emma Sterling (Baylee Toney), a fiercely determined barrel racer struggling to carry on her late brother’s legacy in the rodeo arena, finds herself drawn to Eddie Red Cloud (Owen Crow Shoe), a troubled ex con and member of the Rogue River Nation haunted by his connection to Bo’s death. Meanwhile, Emma’s longtime rodeo rival Kiera Red Cloud (Tanaya Beatty) fights to prove herself both in the arena and within her own community as the conflict around them spirals toward violence. Watching over the Red Cloud family is Russ Red Cloud (Wes Studi), a respected tribal elder fighting to protect his people and their land, alongside Gail Red Cloud (Irene Bedard), the compassionate but strong matriarch holding her family together through the growing storm.
Against the breathtaking backdrop of towering forests, reservation land, rodeo arenas, and working mills, Timber Landsexplores the collision between tradition and progress, corporate greed and cultural survival, family loyalty and personal redemption. As the feud between the two families escalates, the rodeo arena becomes a proxy battlefield for a much larger war, one that threatens to destroy the town, the land, and the people fighting to protect what they love most.
Baylee Toney is a writer, director, producer, and actress based between Austin, Texas and New York City. Raised in Southern Oregon, her work is rooted in Americana and explores family, identity, and the emotional landscapes that shape us.
She recently directed and starred in PENNY, a 1970s true story alongside Julianna Margulies and Joanna Gleason. The film positions Toney as a performance-driven director with a strong command of character and tone, marking a significant step into the prestige indie space.
Toney also directed, wrote, and starred in Timber Lands, a neo-Western drama featuring Wes Studi, Irene Bedard, Tanaya Beatty, and Owen Crowshoe, and recently directed and starred in her upcoming quirky comedy western Run Honey Run, currently nearing completion. Her debut feature, Last Tour Home, premiered at the Soho International Film Festival and was released by Freestyle Media.
With a background in acting, Toney brings a deeply collaborative, performance-first approach to directing. She is actively building a slate of character-driven films that balance emotional specificity with strong visual identity, positioning her as an emerging voice in contemporary American independent cinema.
Premiere Available
Wes Studi - ACTOR
Irene Bedard - ACTRESS
Tanaya Beatty - Actress
Owen Crow Shoe - Actor
