The Golden State

In Lydia Kiesling's sharp debut, "The Golden State," we follow Daphne, a young mother teetering on the brink of exhaustion. Fleeing her strained life in San Francisco, she takes refuge with her toddler, Honey, in a mobile home in the high desert town of Altavista. Daphne's Turkish husband is stuck abroad due to a 'processing error,' leaving her to navigate the relentless challenges of single parenthood amidst deep personal anxiety. Over ten intense days, she grapples with loneliness, drinks too much, and seeks connection in unexpected places. She encounters Cindy, a neighbor involved in a secessionist movement, and forms an unlikely bond with Alice, an elderly woman facing the end of her life. As these relationships escalate, leading to a dangerous confrontation, Daphne is forced to confront her inner turmoil against the backdrop of a divided nation, exploring themes of motherhood, class, cultural fractures, and the desperate search for clarity in a complex world.