In British Columbia, one of the most sparsely populated regions of the Western world, wildfires have become an everyday part of life. Local communities are marked by substance abuse and violence. Traces of absence are everywhere: in the burned forests and along roadsides lined with posters of missing persons. Klinger has made a film about people facing complex challenges who still believe in a better future. By weaving together the interconnected lives of the locals, the film creates a layered portrait of the landscape and the people’s bond with the wilderness, its magic and its myths. Residents live in the shadow of unsolved deaths and disappearances of young people, finding an escape in community solidarity and modern-day rituals, such as the demolition derby at the local wreck yard.

Dop / Nikola Klinger    Editor / Ema Adamove    Music / Michal Cáb    Sound / Nikola Klinger , Lukáš Kosek , Bony Stoev    Story / Nikola Klinger    Writer / Nikola Klinger

Completion date / October 2026

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