An Odyssey Across the American West in ‘The Pilgrim’ Official Trailer
by Alex Billington
March 11, 2023
Source: YouTube
“Whatever you’re looking to get back… is gone.” Freestyle Digital Media has unveiled a trailer for an indie film titled The Pilgrim, the feature debut of filmmaker Joshua Benson. It’s arriving on VOD to watch soon. The Pilgrim tells the story of Will, a successful American architect living in London, who is thrust into an odyssey through the American West upon learning of his estranged mother’s death. Confronted by his sister, Jeannie, he is tasked with transporting his mother’s remains to their final resting place at his aunt’s ranch. Will sets off on a journey that brings him back into contact with the ghosts of a life he had long since left behind – its landscapes, its history, and its traditions… It seems to be based on some of the director’s own life, as Benson studied filmmaking at the London Film School. The team shot with no more than a skeleton crew and a few actors, working almost exclusively by natural light in order to bring an authentic portrayal of the American West to the screen. Starring Jeff Worden, Rachel Colwell, Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Rebekah Stein, Lou Llobell, and Emerald Clark. Good trailer – this has a very strong Malick vibe to it.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Joshua Benson’s The Pilgrim, direct from FDM’s YouTube:
“The Pilgrim took much of its inspiration from James Baldwin’s essay ‘Stranger in the Village‘ – specifically the line: ‘People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them… Personal trauma commands such influence over our lives, and I wanted a film that meditated on how, if ever, we move forward. The American West, with its problematic and complex past, seemed a fitting backdrop to breathe life into these themes.” –Director Joshua Benson
Will (Worden), an American architect living in London, is thrust into an odyssey through the American West upon learning of his estranged mother’s death. As he takes her remains to their final resting place, he begins to question the man that he has become. The Pilgrim is both written and directed by American indie filmmaker Joshua Benson, making his feature directorial debut after numerous short films previously. Based on a story by George Kellock. It’s produced by Joshua Benson and star Jeff Worden. This was filmed over the course of two consecutive summers throughout Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The film hasn’t premiered at any major film festivals or elsewhere before now, as far as we know. Freestyle Digital Media will debut Benson’s film The Pilgrim direct-to-VOD in the US starting on March 14th, 2023 coming soon this month. For more info on the production, visit the official site. Anyone interested in watching this?
