Having helmed several episodes of “House of Cards,” Robin Wright drops all vestiges of glamor to direct and star in this wilderness saga. Following a devastating loss, Edee Holzer (Wright) leaves Chicago and all civilization far behind her. Buying an old cabin high in Wyoming’s Rocky Mountains, she discards her cellphone, returns her rental car and tries to live off the land. But she was raised in a city, and all she knows is what she’s read in books. While she stocked up for winter, she’s seriously misjudged her survivalist skills. Soon, Edee is, literally, freezing and starving. Fortunately, a hunter, Miguel Borras (Demian Bichir), passes by and returns with a nurse (Sarah Dawn Pledge).
When Edee asks why he’s helping her, Miguel says: “You were in my path.” Seasons change, as Miguel shows Edee how to garden, fish, trap and shoot a deer. Although they converse very little, their friendship grows as they learn to respect and understand each other. But then Miguel disappears, and Edee’s curiosity overcomes her reluctance to leave her solitary mountain retreat. Scripted by Jesse Chatham and Erin Digman, it’s confidently directed by Robin Wright, working closely with cinematographer Bobby Bukowski to establish a resonant, meditative narrative of kindness and human connection. Wright notes: “We are all aware of so much tragedy in our world…and, for a long time, I have felt a pained awareness of those left behind in the aftermath. How did they find their way? This is a story of one woman’s journey to find her lost self after the life she knew changed in seconds.” A stark chronicle of spiritual renewal. Optional.