The Wilderness follows a group of troubled teenage boys who are kidnapped from their homes and taken deep into the Utah desert, where they’re forced into a brutal “wilderness therapy” program. Cut off from the outside world, their only path home requires earning the approval of a cryptic program director whose intentions are far from therapeutic. As the line between rehabilitation and manipulation blurs, the boys must decide whether to endure the program or escape it.
Director’s statement: This film aims to raise awareness about institutional harm and advocate for youth rights and constructive alternatives to institutionalization.
This film was supported by Utah Film Center’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Fiscal Sponsorship has supported over 450 projects.