McConaughey: Bees in 'Amziah King' Mirror Human Community

LookingGlass said Kateri learns from Amziah that not everyone is against her. "She grew up with really difficult circumstances. That made her really closed-off in the beginning of the film," the actress said. "She keeps her guard up for a little bit. Amziah breaks that down because he sees her and knows who she is. It is built as such a really interesting arc. In the second act, she becomes this really strong and fierce person. I think she's learned from Amziah just about community."

Patterson said cinema needs "bold swings." He described the film as a communal experience inside the story. "You meet a community, you watch them go through something tremendously sad and difficult, and then emerge triumphant," he said. "I want stories in a room with other people where I feel that."

The director added that such shared experiences are not limited to movie theaters. "I've felt that in many different arenas, whether it was in a live concert, whether it was in a sermon with other people in the seats next to me, whether it was a really great stand-up show that can take you different places," Patterson said. "I want storytelling told in a communal space to survive forever. I know it will. It's primal for us, and that's why I think this story matters."

The cast includes Kurt Russell, Cole Sprouse, Tony Revolori, Owen Teague, Jake Horowitz and Scott Shepherd.