Fault Line

A precocious 12 year-old girl, Sam, blames herself for a fatal car crash that tragically took her younger brother and father. Riddled with guilt, Sam desperately longs to tell her mother her terrible secret. Stricken with grief and living in denial, her mother refuses to talk about it. The growing silence between them is driving them apart. Haunted by the ghost of her brother, Sam finds solace in the sympathetic ear of an immigrant Mexican woman who lost her only grandson in an illegal border crossing, along with the love of her daughter who blames her for his death. Shot in the Texas high desert town of Marfa, Fault Line is rich in character, backstories and cinematic poetry. In the end, fate is the fault of no one.

Directed by Lauren Himmelvo, Fault Line leans on a strong ensemble — Barbara Chisholm, Christin Sawyer Davis, Alma Delfina — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2023.