Experiencing Interruptions?

At the Margin of the Untraveled World

THREE LINE SYNOPSIS --

A Man from the Valley cannot believe the Faraway's interpretation of his dreams. Will the Faraway be able to overcome his crippling insecurities, and convince the Man from the Valley of mankind's impending destruction? Probably not.

FULL SYNOPSIS --

A man from the valley struggles through mountain passes. He is looking for someone called Faraway to interpret his dreams. In a forest clearing, on a mountainside, the searcher finds a young, unimpressive looking man – Faraway.

The searcher from the valley cannot believe this young man with a speech impediment is the one for whom he is looking. The young man’s insistence that he can interpret dreams, however, softens the searcher’s incredulity. He gives this young man an opportunity to prove himself, and tells him one of his dreams. In response to this dream Faraway tells the searching man that he and his people have angered the earth, that they will all be destroyed in a great flood, and that –

But, no. The searching man cuts him off. There is no way this young, slow-speaking man is actually Faraway. He asks the young man to tell him who he really is.

Confused at the searcher’s disbelief, the Faraway tells him from where he came. We learn Faraway’s name is Enoch. As Enoch tells the searcher this story we see it through flashbacks. And, from this point, the film goes back and forth between the present conversation on the mountainside and flashbacks to a desolate land where Enoch receives a vision in which he is called of the Lord to preach repentance.

Due to his speech impediment, however, Faraway falters in telling his story. The searcher laughs at him – surely this man is not the one for whom he’s been looking. Enoch is defeated.

This low point on the mountainside matches a low point in the desolate land. Enoch remembers himself on his knees in the desolate land, where he explains to the Lord that he should not be a prophet, because he feels hated, and is slow of speech. The Voice of the Lord reassures him that he will be there to assist him in his calling.

This reassurance causes both past and present Enoch to find strength. Enoch commands the searcher to serve the Lord God. In the desolate land, Enoch begins a journey that will–

But, no. The searching man cuts Enoch off, again.

He tells Enoch he will not be destroyed by some “great flood”. But, a now confident Enoch insists – the flood will come.

  • Stephen Dethloff
    Writer
    Out of Liberty
  • Stephen Dethloff
    Director
  • Stephen Dethloff
    Producer
  • Will Ingram
    Key Cast
    "Enoch"
  • Brock Roberts
    Key Cast
    "Man from the Valley"
    Out of Liberty
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 25, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Stephen Dethloff

Stephen studied film and screenwriting at Brigham Young University in 2009. Upon graduating he promptly left his schooling behind and went into commercial real estate. Eight years later, in 2017 (then with a wife, 2 kids, and a graduate degree in business) Stephen started writing screenplays again.

A year later, at the age of 33, he sold his first feature screenplay, "Out of Liberty," to Three Coin Productions -- a small film production company in Utah. "Out of Liberty" would go on to receive a national theatrical release in 2019 by Purdie Distribution and Samuel Goldwyn Films.

After this experience, Stephen decided to continue on in film making and see if he could produce and direct his own feature film. He is currently cutting his teeth on short films - learning the trade and craft - until he can raise enough money to produce an independent feature. "At the Margin of the Untraveled World" is the first short film he has directed and/or produced.

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Director Statement

"At the Margin of the Untraveled World" is an amalgam of numerous myths, archetypes, and scripture that reappear throughout history and across cultures.

This film is an attempt to take the pieces and fragments from these stories, and induce the original story from which they all derive. It is an attempt to rediscover the gnostic idea of a forgotten, common history.

One of the dramatic elements in this film comes from the difficulty of humbling oneself before God, and of submitting ones will to His own.

To the director, the idea of submitting one's will to God is a fascinating dramatic story element -- and, as of now, the one point of drama in which he is most interested exploring.