Some films sit with you because of what they say. Others because of how they feel. “East of Wall”, winner of the Audience Award at Sundance this year, is the latter. Directed by Kate Beecroft, this haunting doc-fiction hybrid is one of the most quietly affecting films I’ve seen all year.
Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, “East of Wall” follows Tabatha Zimiga—a young mother, widow, and horse trainer—trying to keep her crumbling ranch and chosen family afloat. It’s a film about loss and resilience, but it’s also about TikTok videos, moonshine, and how women hold the weight of worlds, even when no one’s watching.
What makes this film special is its hybrid nature. Real-life footage—shot by the teenagers on the ranch—is spliced into the fictional narrative. These kids aren’t performing for the camera; they’re living. Racing horses, mucking stalls, cracking jokes. It feels like a TikTok-fueled memory reel that grounds the film in authenticity. Tabatha’s real daughter, Porshia, serves as the narrator, lending a generational thread that feels lived-in and honest.
Tabatha Zimiga isn’t an actor, but she’s the heart of this film. The way she connects with animals, the care she offers the kids around her, the quiet strength she carries—it’s magnetic. There’s a scene where she tames a horse “with a hole in it,” and another where she quietly tells a man to “fuck off.” Neither moment is played for drama, but both land with incredible power.
Jennifer Ehle stuns as Tabatha’s mother Tracey—a moonshine-swilling, chain-smoking matriarch who’s rough around the edges but full of raw truth. Her birthday monologue to Roy (played by Scoot McNairy) hits like a gut-punch. Roy himself isn’t a villain—just a reminder of systemic inequality, economic power, and the kind of good intentions that still carry real consequences.
The filmmaking here is naturalistic and immersive. Beecroft’s handheld camera keeps us close—sometimes uncomfortably so—but the real magic is in how she lets the story unfold without forcing it. Nothing feels staged. The Badlands aren’t just a backdrop; they’re a breathing part of the film’s soul.
It’s not always tidy, and that’s the point. There’s a looseness here—emotionally and narratively—that mirrors real life. Watching this film reminded me of summers spent around horses, of tossing hay and riding tractors, and of the unspoken weight carried by women like Tabatha.
By the end, what Tabatha is selling isn’t land or horses—it’s herself. Her ability. Her care. Her whole damn soul. And the film sees that.
“East of Wall” isn’t just a film—it’s a love letter to survival, to land, to lineage. One of the year’s best.
Watch the full review now on The Wandering Screen with Matt Koss on YouTube.
Letter grade: B+