Nearly four months after Sundance, it’s safe to say that the most remarkable takeaway of this year’s festival is the amount of female-driven and female-directed films that made their premieres. Whether it’s in response to the post-Weinstein climate of Hollywood, or the ever-growing appetite for female-led projects, it is both considerably noteworthy and exciting to see many new perspectives and voices taking center stage. After successful distributions of Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here” and Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider,” yet another film out of the festival has found distribution. Courtesy of Bleecker Street, Debra Granik’s newest drama “Leave No Trace” has landed a limited release slated for later this summer. The film follows an off-the-grid father-daughter pairing from the outskirts of Portland, Oregon who must fight for their way of life after they’ve been exposed. And we have the first trailer for the film.
Debra Granik is no stranger to Sundance. Her second feature film “Winter’s Bone” premiered at the festival in 2010 and went on to score four Oscar nominations including Best Picture – not to mention the debut of the soon-to-be-star Jennifer Lawrence. Like “Winter’s Bone,” “Leave No Trace” focuses on similar character profiles – the outcast, poverty-stricken Americans – which Granik told Vulture that she was particularly drawn to: “I think sometimes, the subject matters I do are not very commercial, so they’re not easy shoo-ins.” To no surprise, Granik once again found success at this year’s festival, as “Leave No Trace” left audiences mesmerized.
If Granik’s accolades aren’t enough to sell the film on their own (which they should be), the film also boasts a forcible cast. Ben Foster (“Hell or High Water,” “3:10 to Yuma”) and newcomer Thomasin McKenzie play the father-daughter duo, accompanied by Jeff Kober (“Sully”), Dale Dickey (“Winter’s Bone,” “Hell or High Water”), and Isaiah Stone (“Winter’s Bone”).
Based on Peter Rock’s novel “My Abandonment,” and produced by Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, and Anne Rosellini, “Leave No Trace” will hit theaters June 29th.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland. The film is directed by Debra Granik from a script adapted by Granik and Anne Rosellini.
