Take Me to the River

Matt Sobel, in his first feature, creates a world wrought with secrets, misinterpretations, and subtext. Ryder, an artsy teenager, travels from California with his parents, Don and Cindy, for a family reunion in Nebraska. Upon their arrival, Ryder's impish nine-year-old cousin, Molly, leads him to a barn to show him a bird's nest. What happens behind barn doors makes Ryder the sudden target of suspicion and unearths a long-buried family secret. Ryder and his parents are ill-equipped to handle the fallout; Cindy, in particular, does her best to remain positive. Ultimately, Ryder must come to terms with the truth on his own. (Sundance Film Festival)