What if you lost your best friend?
Three friends head into the wilderness to reconnect. When one vanishes, the journey becomes a test of friendship, trust, and what it means to truly be there for one another.
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Our Story
This film was inspired by our director Kieran Thompson’s journey to reconnect with his childhood best friend after nearly losing him in a tragic accident. It’s about friendship, masculinity, vulnerability, and the kind of inner struggles we rarely speak openly about, especially among men.
To bring it to life, our cast and crew camped in the Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado. One of our toughest days was a seven-mile trek on foot, climbing 2,746 feet with gear on our backs to film a pivotal scene at the top of Culebra Peak, 14,047 feet up.
All of that hard work feels worth it, because we believe we’ve created a meaningful film to share with the world.
Up Next
Phoenix Film Festival
Phoenix is the hometown of the majority of our crew, including our director Kieran Thompson and producer Joshua Gonzales, so we're especially excited to be a part of this fantastic festival.
Our team will be out in full force, with Q&As following each of our three screenings at Harkins Theatres Scottsdale 101!
Festival Dates:
April 9 - 19, 2026
Screenings:
Friday, April 17 at 3:50PM - SOLD OUT
Saturday, April 18 at 1:30PM - SOLD OUT
Sunday, April 19 at 11:40AM - SOLD OUT
There may be a limited amount of tickets still available at the in-person festival box office. Please call ahead 480-513-3195 to see if you can still place an order!
Official Selection
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
We think it's extra cool to get to play JDIFF, which was named one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine!
Festival Dates:
April 18 - 25, 2026
Screenings:
Monday, April 20, 2026 at 11:00am - Tickets
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 1:15pm - Tickets
Our Monday screening is in the historic Five Flags Theater, which was built in 1910 and is named for the five flags that have flown over Dubuque; the Royal French Flag, the Royal Flag of Spain, the Union Jack of Great Britain, the flag of the French Republic, and the flag of the United States.
In The
Press
Good Morning Arizona - TV Interview
Scott Pasmore spoke with Phoenix Film Festival CEO and Executive Director Jason Carney, and our director Kieran Thompson. They discuss the festival and the story behind the making of our film.
92.9 The Peak - Radio Interview
Our director Kieran Thompson and editor Misty Wilson joined Deakon on 92.9 The Point’s morning show The Breakfast Club to talk about our film, what inspired it, Misty's Durango area roots, and the Durango Independent Film Festival.
OMAPOD - Podcast
Our director Kieran Thompson was interviewed by Tony Bock of OMAPOD about the making of The Only Way Out Is Through in advance of our screening at Omaha Film Festival!
Listen now for a deep dive into how and why we made this film.
Durango Local News - TV Interview
Durango Local News spoke with our director Kieran Thompson about our film, why we submitted to the Durango International Film Festival, and the importance of independent film festivals.
Past
Screenings
Below you'll see where we've already played, but even more screenings are coming soon!
Please subscribe to our email list to receive updates on when and where we'll be playing next, as well as when the film will be released online and on physical media.
World Premiere
El Paso
Film Festival
We had our World Premiere at the El Paso Film Festival, where we proudly took home the Producer award!
Screening:
Friday, September 26, 2025 - SOLD OUT
Official Selection
Durango Film Festival
Our Colorado Premiere, we were excited to return to the beautiful state we filmed in. Also a homecoming celebration for our editor Misty Wilson, who grew up near Durango!
Festival Dates:
March 4 - 8, 2026
Screenings:
Friday, March 6 at 2:30PM at Gaslight 1 - SOLD OUT
Saturday, March 7 at 4:30PM at Gaslight 2 - SOLD OUT
Our director Kieran Thompson and editor Misty Wilson attended both screenings for post-screening Q&As.
Official Selection
Ely Film Festival
We're grateful to have played in Ely at the historic State Theater! Our director Kieran Thompson served as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters in 2007 and was excited to return to the Northwoods. We helped kick off the festival with a screening on opening day!
Festival Dates:
March 11 - 15, 2026
Screening:
Wednesday, March 11 at 3:30PM - SOLD OUT
Wednesday, March 18 at 3:30PM - BONUS REPLAY
Our director Kieran Thompson attended the March 11 for a post-screening Q&A. That screening sold out, so the festival added a bonus replay screening on March 18!
Official Selection
Omaha Film Festival
It was an honor to be a part of Omaha's 21st edition of the festival, with screenings at Aksarben Cinema!
Festival Dates:
March 10 - 15, 2026
Screening:
Saturday, March 14 at 5:15PM - SOLD OUT
Our director Kieran Thompson attended for a post-screening Q&A.
Official Selection
Fargo Film Festival
We loved playing at the beautifully restored
art deco Fargo Theatre, which celebrated its centennial this year!
Festival Dates:
March 17 - 21, 2026
Screening:
Friday, March 20 at 1:30PM
Our film kicked off the Friday Afternoon Session, followed by the short films Whale Math, Like Father, Zastava Brothers, and Hide. Our director Kieran Thompson attended for a post-screening Q&A.
