Lily Gladstone is poised to take the cinematic world by storm when her starring turn opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon graces theaters on October 6. Before then, Gladstone plays a lead role in the indie road movie The Unknown Country. The film is set to play in select theaters next month and the official trailer has been released.
From Chicago-based distributor Music Box Films, The Unknown Country is the very definition of a road movie. The story centers on Tana (Gladstone), who sets out on a road trip from Minnesota to South Dakota for her cousin’s wedding in her late grandmother’s Cadillac, hoping to find some solace from the loss of her elderly relative along the way. After reconnecting with her Oglala Lakota family, Tana is spurred on to take another adventure, retracing steps taken by her grandmother long ago, in a bid to find a location in an old family photo and to spiritually reconnect with her lost loved one. The film also stars Raymond Lee, who plays Isaac, a character Tana encounters on her emotional and literal journey.
The Unknown Country is a debut feature film from the director Morrisa Maltz. Maltz’s previous credits include a number of short films and documentary work. Maltz wrote the screenplay, with both lead star Gladstone and Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux given a story credit. The film had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW film festival and Maltz received a nomination for the festival’s Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award, an accolade that seeks to honor filmmakers who steer clear of conformity in order to make a truly personal piece of cinema. The trailer, released today, makes the most of showing off its star Gladstone, who already has given memorable performances in the likes of Fancy Dance and Certain Women, whilst receiving praise for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon. It looks as if The Unknown Country will be another high note in Gladstone’s developing road to acting stardom, notwithstanding a promising debut feature for Maltz, given it currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%.
When Is ‘The Unknown Country’ Coming to Cinemas?
Produced by Laura Heberton, Katherine Harper, Bearkiller Shangreaux, Vanara Taing, Maltz and Tommy Heitkamp, The Unknown Country is set for a limited theatrical release on July 28. Check out the trailer for the film below.