Leave No Trace is a 2018 drama film directed by Debra Granik and based on the book "My Abandonment" by Peter Rock. The movie follows the story of Will (played by Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (played by Thomasin McKenzie). They live an isolated life in Forest Park, a sprawling urban park outside of Portland, Oregon. They have a makeshift home in the park, complete with a tent and a wood stove, and they live off the land by foraging for food and scrounging for supplies.
Will is a troubled veteran suffering from PTSD who has removed himself from society, disillusioned by the world and seeking solace in the natural environment. He teaches his daughter survival and self-reliance skills, and they live a peaceful and self-sufficient life, but the authorities eventually discover their existence.
The pair is forced to leave their home and are placed in temporary housing. Tom is introduced to a social worker and begins to form her own relationships outside of her father's. The authorities offer an opportunity for them to live in a house, with free utilities, but living in a more traditional setting is something Will cannot adapt to.
As the duo adapts to their new surroundings, Tom begins to discover her own identity and her own needs. While Will continues his search for a place to live, Tom starts to question the life she's been living and begins to long for the normalcy of being a part of wider society. The movie ends with Tom finding a sense of belonging and community as Will struggles to find a life that can sustain his spirit.