A drought, a missing man, and a map that might save nothing at all.
A ten-year drought brings local ranches to the brink of disaster. The search for Bert Neville takes its toll on Rail and Mitra. They break up and Rail continues on alone. Travis, Ziggy and Karin hitchhike in high country and get lost in a burnt out forest. Taylor travels with Ukrainian gallery owners looking for the prototypical western artist. Dane introduces Rail to his mother, Violet, a full blood hewise, who remembers the horrors of the Indian schools. Her ex-husband Bedford refuses to give his real name to a white man. Her daughter April broadcasts a tribal blog on indian affairs. Dane and Rail are stopped by local militia types. Entrepreneurs propose a geothermal plant to ranchers and locals divided by political views. Rail finds an old map in an abandoned ranch and Mitra, now recovered, rejoins him. Is the mystery of Bert Neville about to be solved?
Acting
Nighttrain Schickele carries the weight of parched earth in every scene.
Direction
Nilsson's DIY ethos makes the landscape a suffocating character.
Writing
Conversations that actually sound like people think, not movie people.
Director
Rob Nilsson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Nilsson shot this in Montana during actual drought conditions; some ranchers in the film were facing the real losses their characters endure.
The 'Indian school' testimony comes from Violet actor Lily Gladstone's actual research—she's Blackfeet/Nez Perce and based the monologue on boarding school survivor interviews.
US
