Faultline (2022)

Bay Area filmmaker Rob Nilsson's third installment in his breathtaking Nomad Trilogy (after Arid Cut, and Center Divide). The film kicks off with Rail and his girlfriend Mitra on a motorcycle headed for Northern California in search of a long-lost father. They're joined by three friends forced to hitchhike when their truck gives up. Lost in a burnt-out forest, they face dehydration and death while Rail and Mitra move on through a drought-ridden wasteland trying to find a man no one knows. Under majestic skies and amidst transcendent natural wonders, these colorful wanderers uncover truths about unsettled modern life in our divided country. It's exciting to see Nilsson in full control of the medium, crafting a hypnotic experience about the raw, messy intimacy of family and the global impact of today's conflicted society. Equal parts shocking and calming, Faultline is its own rare breed of independent film, a gritty and beautiful cinematic poem.