Return to Death Valley (2021)

This film was written by a traveler who always remembered a childhood visit to Death Valley National Park as one of the most important keystones in his life. Fifteen years later, he returns to the spot to say a final thanks.
Narrated through a series of journal entries, he recounts the effect the park had on him as a teenager, explores the philosophy of desert lovers, reflects on the importance of freedom, and realizes the love of his friends.
A tribute to wandering, an experiment in philosophy, and a lovesong to the Mojave desert, Return To Death Valley will leave you wondering what lies next for all of us.

This film is dedicated to the friends that first helped me on my voyage into the unknown: Mike Miller, Nick Miller, Jon Miller, and Sean Wing.

Written and created by Kade Kreger
Director of Photography (desert sequences): Jacob Hilger
Director of Photography (urban sequences): Regina Velasco
Additional footage and b-roll: Lisset MendoZa, Andrew Hopkins, Lane Genovese, and Sean Wing
Special appearances and thanks to: Jack Rogas, Ryan Lally, Jeremy Hilger, Summer Hilger, and Nathan Wing

Cameras used:
Canon 5D MKII
Canon 7D
Sony A7sii
Sony A6300
Canon Gx9

Created with DaVinci Resolve 16

Director’s notes:
This project began in 2014, when I made a pilgrimage back to Death Valley National Park for the first time since my childhood. The idea was simple at first; to revisit the spots shown in my old tapes, and relive the footage with an older eye. But as often happens, the project soon grew in scope and production as existential ideas began to evolve in the background. I made several more dedicated trips to the park over the next few years, alone and with different friends, gathering more than enough footage of the landscape. Later, I decided to expand the project even further within a frame of outside vignettes, bringing other influences and ideas into play and turning the film into a philosophical piece about much broader topics, which only vaguely resembled the original concept. In the end, the result was scattered and somewhat rambling; as such, it will probably be fully understood by few outside of my closest friends. But regardless of how entertaining this artifact may or may not be to a general audience, my hope is that it reaches someone, somewhere, on their own journey of self-discovery.