20 Best Indie Movies Of 2018

5. Leave No Trace

Debra Granik's first feature since her Best Picture-nominated Winter's Bone back in 2010 was absolutely worth the wait: another subtle yet deeply upsetting look at strained family ties in the midst of rural America.

Ben Foster is mesmerising as a war veteran suffering from PTSD who has decided to live in the wilderness with his daughter, played with mind-boggling restraint by New Zealand newcomer Thomasin McKenzie (who received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female for her work).

A bleak yet deeply human two-hander between Foster and McKenzie, Leave No Trace is abetted at all times by Granik's straight-forward yet empathetic direction.

It's not a flashy movie or one filled with melodramatic Oscar reel moments, but it's got an agreeably ambling pace, and the climactic emotional payoff sure is something. Bring tissues.