After conditions in her new home become unbearable, a teenage girl runs away and befriends an older man preparing for a hike through the Alaskan wilderness.
SYNOPSIS
In this thrilling coming-of-age adventure, a troubled teen must face the dangers of the Alaskan wild, as well as her own past, in order to find her way home. Sent to stay with her uncle in Alaska while her mother is in treatment, 14-year-old Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) is forced to flee as her uncle’s attention turns threatening. Unable to reach her mother and afraid that the authorities will return her to her uncle, she embarks on a journey across miles of wilderness to find a way back home to Seattle. As she plunges deeper into the Alaskan interior, a chance connection with gruff backpacker Bartlett (Bruce Greenwood) proves to be her only lifeline. Mackenzie shadows Bartlett across the rugged frontier, thwarting his efforts to cut her loose until he has no choice but to help her survive, and against the backdrop of a spectacular landscape, they discover the redemptive power of friendship.
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Ella Purnell (MACKENZIE)
Born on September 17, 1996 in London, England, Ella can currently be seen playing the young Angelina Jolie in Disney’s Maleficent and will also appear in the lead role of the feature film Wildlike. Ella’s also due to portray a young Jane in the upcoming remake of Tarzan. In 2008, she beat hundreds of other girls for a role in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. She was one of only a few girls chosen to appear in the children’s ensemble and remained in the show for a year. Her previous credits include Kick Ass 2, Intruders, a co-starring role in Ways To Live Forever and as a young version of Keira Knightly’s character Ruth in Never Let Me Go, based on the acclaimed book by Kazuo Ishiguro. Ella was named one of Screen International’s Stars Of Tomorrow. She has also appeared as one of English Vogue’s “Young Meteors” and Teen Vogues “Young Hollywood”. More recently Ella can be found in V Magazine, GQ, Flaunt, Tatler, Teen Tatler, Wonderland, Lulu, Dazed and Confused, Union and 1984. Ella is also an active member in the National Youth Theatre group.
Bruce Greenwood (RENE BARTLETT)
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and producer known for numerous films such as I, Robot (2004), Star Trek (2009) and Flight (2012). He was last seen in Universal’s Endless Love (2014), and he will next be seen in Andrew Niccol’s Military drama-thriller Good Kill opposite Ethan Hawke. Greenwood’s other noteworthy film credits include Déjà Vu (2006), a famous portrayal of JFK in Thirteen Days (2000) and Todd Hayne’s I’m Not There (2007). Greenwood also enjoys a diverse and successful career in television. He has starred in shows such as ABC’s Horror/Drama series The River and HBO’s John From Cincinnati. Bruce has been married to Susan Devlin since 1985. They divide their time between homes in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
ASCONA FILM FESTIVAL 
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