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Logline

After a near death experience, a teenage religious skeptic ventures to see if he can find answers through religion

Synopsis

After a near-death experience, Tristan, a high school skeptic becomes curious about religion and embarks on a journey to explore different faiths. With the support of his friends, he visits various religious groups but struggles to find belief in any of them, growing frustrated with their doctrines on salvation. His search eventually leads him to a misguided attempt at spirituality, leaving him disillusioned. In the end, a heartfelt conversation with his brother helps him realize that belief is a personal choice, and as long as he lives with kindness, he doesn’t need all the answers.

On an early Sunday morning when many are congregating to their various religions, Tristan, a high school religious skeptic, heads to a friend’s house for a day of watching football and hanging with friends. As Tristan pedals home on his bicycle he is accidentally run off the road by a speeding truck and is knocked unconscious when his bike crashes into a curb.

Awakening in a hospital, Tristan witnesses a Catholic priest administer last rites to a patient and becomes curious about his own thoughts on faith. With the help of his friends Tristan ventures off to various religions but struggles to find belief in any of them, growing frustrated with their doctrines on salvation. In reality, it’s not Tristan’s struggle with religion but that he has never properly grieved the recent passing of his mother.

In a misguided attempt Tristan and his friends look into non-traditional religions and spirituality, leaving him even more disillusioned. Completely lost, with no path, Tristan questions life and wonders if there are no answers to the world. After heartfelt conversations with his friends and brother, Tristan realizes that belief is a personal choice, and as long as he lives with kindness, he doesn’t need all the answers.

Meet the Filmmakers

Lucas Cabanillas — Director
Lucas Cabanillas is a Mexican filmmaker whose work explores spirituality, self-inquiry, and the quiet tensions of identity and belief. A graduate of Arizona State University’s Film and Media Production program, Lucas is a founder of Color Blue Films, where he has written and directed several shorts across documentary and narrative forms, including That Summer Night, Idol, Critique, and Throwing Off Beat. Lucas’s filmmaking is rooted in curiosity and empathy, with a commitment to portraying internal struggles that often go unseen. Through Color Blue Films, he continues to tell stories about doubt, discovery, and the elusive space in between.

Quinlan Donovan-Schager — Producer
Quinlan Donovan-Schager is a producer and filmmaker committed to supporting bold, independent voices in cinema. With a background rooted in hands-on crew work across a wide range of independent productions, Quinlan has built a career around championing creative visions from the ground up. As a founder and a key collaborator at Color Blue Films, he has helped develop, produce, and crew on numerous narrative and documentary projects, including That Summer Night and Throwing Off Beat.

Joe Tafoya — Director of Photography
Joe Tafoya is a cinematographer with a background in documentary filmmaking and a strong belief in the power of visual storytelling to connect people across experience. Drawing from his cultural roots and his deep connection to the communities he films, Joe sees cinematography not just as a craft, but as a way to listen — to stories, to people, and to place. His work aims to reflect lived truth with clarity, restraint, and care. Through his work as a freelance cinematographer, he has become a trusted partner to emerging directors seeking to translate personal stories into honest, visually resonant cinema.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.