American Descent

In 2014, Sergeant First Class Stephen Harris edited and uploaded this film. It was his message to the world. A group of teenagers are sent an unlabeled DVD from a U.S. Army base in Afghanistan containing a video of a strange woman tied to a tree. It ends with a clue. The teens follow the clue to another and yet another, until what started out as a game becomes a terrifying chase into the psychopathic mind of Harris. At the end of the line, the teens' world comes full circle as they discover they weren't just playing a game, they were pawns in a revenge plot only a master of war could devise.

Directed by Brooks Hunter, American Descent leans on a strong ensemble — Eva Link, Madeline Link, Olivier Surprenant — 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 thriller titles of 2015.