Beyond the Rye

Bored with his simple life in Norway, Espen comes to California as a foreign exchange student seeking a deeper purpose in life. At his new high school, he joins the tennis team and quickly wins new friends, but finds himself making compromising choices in order to fit in. After his girlfriend cheats on him at a New Year's party, Espen considers an early return to Norway. He seeks guidance from his host parents and his English teacher, who convince him to stay and finish the school year. When his girlfriend apologizes and wants him back, he finds the strength to forgive her and rebuild his friendships in the remaining weeks of the exchange program. When he gets humiliated in front of his classmates at prom, Espen must dig deeper than ever before to find the truth of who he is, before his sense of humanity is shattered

Directed by Nathan Devlin, Beyond the Rye leans on a strong ensemble — Peter Braathen, Ben Schreen, Taylor Napier — 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 drama titles of 2018.