Leave No Trace

Their home is the forest: Will and his teenage daughter Tom are self-sufficient hermits in a nature park near Portland, Oregon. They are neither homeless nor criminals—Will, a mentally unstable Iraq War veteran, needs the wilderness as a refuge from civilization and society. After the two are discovered by the authorities, they are placed in a rural rehabilitation program. Activities there include logging, rabbit farming, and church services. Tom reacts with curiosity to the situation, while Will is resistant. When they end up living in a trailer park, the bond between father and daughter stands at a crossroads. Featuring outstanding lead actors and precise on-site observations, this green-hued film sketches out various forms of freedom. Time and again, it shows gestures of solidarity and support: people who are there for one another and help each other navigate life. Society is also capable of that.