Land 2021

After experiencing a profound trauma, Edee Holzer finds herself in therapy, sharing her deep-seated discomfort with social interactions. Seeking refuge, she relocates to the serene landscapes of Wyoming, where she buys a quaint, isolated cabin, determined to embrace a life of solitude. Edee intentionally disconnects from modern conveniences, eschewing telephones and vehicles to fully immerse herself in this secluded existence.

At first, she faces tremendous challenges, struggling to meet her basic needs such as chopping firewood and fishing for sustenance. Her difficulties escalate tragically when a black bear invades her cabin, devouring her food supplies and wreaking havoc while she cowers in her outhouse. This incident pushes her to the brink, and in a moment of desperation, she contemplates ending her life by using a hunting rifle. However, the memory of her sister Emma pleading with her not to harm herself breaks through her despair.

Amidst a raging snowstorm, the relentless wind causes the metal roof of her cabin to rattle ominously. Venturing outside to make repairs, she sustains injuries and is rescued by a local hunter named Miguel, alongside his nurse friend Alawa. The two help her mend her wounds, and Miguel stays behind to assist her, bringing her meals, replenishing her firewood, and ensuring her cabin is adequately stocked.

Grateful for Miguel’s selflessness, Edee expresses her desire to remain isolated, but he offers to teach her valuable survival skills, ensuring she can thrive in her solitude. He introduces her to winter trapping and fall hunting techniques, enabling her to provide for herself. As the seasons change, a strong friendship blossoms between Edee and Miguel; they hunt together, harvest crops, and explore the beauty of her land.

Miguel confides in Edee about the tragedy that claimed his wife and daughter in a car accident eight years prior. In turn, Edee shares only that she once had a family, leading Miguel to hint that she should ponder not just her past, but her future as well. She becomes suspicious of his knowledge about her history, although he reassures her he has no means of digging into her past.

When Miguel asks Edee to look after his dog while he takes a break, she seizes the opportunity to reflect. During his absence, she stumbles upon a collection of old photographs that reveal the existence of her husband Adam and son Drew, leading her to realize that the vision of a father and son she once encountered was merely a figment of her memories.

After several months without contact, Edee decides to pack up and leave her secluded haven, setting off on foot to seek out Miguel in town. Ultimately, she discovers Alawa working at a local hospital, who then takes her to see Miguel, now bedridden with terminal throat cancer. In an emotional exchange, Miguel admits he was responsible for the tragic accident that took his family’s lives due to his intoxication. Edee, in turn, discloses that her husband and son were killed in a senseless shooting during a concert.

Filled with gratitude for the healing and new perspective Miguel brought into her life, she leaves with his phone, a gesture of their bond, and timidly reaches out to her sister Emma, marking the first time since her journey began in Wyoming.