Parents and their children can often become anxious about their relationship as they contemplate the mistakes they made with each other in the past, and struggle over how they can move together into the future. That’s certainly the case for the characters of Nate and Herman, played by actors Charlie Plummer and Jeb Berrier, in the new drama, ‘A Perfect Day For Caribou.’

The project was written, directed and produced by Jeff Rutherford in his feature film debut. The story the filmmaker crafted for ‘A Perfect Day For Caribou’ follows Nate and Herman, an estranged father and son who spend the day together, stumbling through disharmony and heartache as they search for a way they can reconnect.

‘A Perfect Day For Caribou’ begins in the early morning, as Herman speaks into a tape recorder, dictating a final message to Nate. As he rambles on about the last Caribou herd in North America, his mobile phone rings, and is shocked that Nate’s now calling him, years after they last saw each other.

That afternoon, the father and son meet at a cemetery on the edge of town. Nate brings his own son along, a six-year-old named Ralph (Oellis Levine), who carelessly plays and runs around in the distance as Herman and Nate stumble through a decade worth of conversation. The three generations try to navigate the literal and figurative hills and valleys they encounter during their day together, as they attempt to reconnect with each other.

The movie is having its North American Premiere in the Narrative Features section of the Slamdance Film Festival 2023. Slamdance’s 29th edition is currently taking place in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, for the first time since 2020, until this Thursday, January 26. 2023. ‘A Perfect Day For Caribou’ is having its second screening this Wednesday, January 25 at 1:00 pm MT at the Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City, after it premiered on Saturday. Beginning today and running until this Sunday, January 29, the festival is also screening virtually on the Slamdance Channel.

Plummer and Rutherford generously took the time earlier this month, before the feature’s North American premiere at Slamdance, to talk about penning, helming, producing and starring in ‘A Perfect Day For Caribou’ during an exclusive interview over Zoom. Watch the interview with the actor and filmmaker in the above video.

Fun Film Fact: To highlight the emotional struggles Nare and Herman face together, ‘A Perfect Day For Caribou’ was filmed in the nostalgic 4:3 aspect ratio and evocative black and white by cinematographer Alfonso Herrera Salcedo.