Christian
Father, actor, seeker. His presence anchors the film’s emotional journey.
Gabriella
A story of reclaiming voice and identity after trauma.
Carol
A journey of breaking out of societal roles to find truth.
Julie
From generational trauma to healing and clarity.
Meet The Participants
Mark Tollefson
Facilitator and teacher. A guide through ancient ceremony and nature’s wisdom.
About The Film
Vision Quest is an intimate documentary exploring the transformative power of ancient spiritual practices in today’s chaotic world. Set against the stark beauty of the California high desert, four individuals embark on an intense retreat guided by facilitator Mark Tollefson, confronting solitude, past traumas, and deep existential questions in search of clarity and meaning.
The film also honors the poignant legacy of co-creator and participant Christian Oliver, whose unexpected death shortly after filming adds profound urgency to the film’s central questions: Why are we here? What is our true purpose? And how far must we go to find it?
Meet The Participants
Father, actor, seeker. His presence anchors the film’s emotional journey.
Christian
A story of reclaiming voice and identity after trauma.
Gabriella
A journey of breaking out of societal roles to find truth.
Carol
From generational trauma to healing and clarity.
Julie
Facilitator and teacher. A guide through ancient ceremony and nature’s wisdom.
Mark Tollefson
Christian
Christian
Christian
Enlightenment Doesn’t Come Easy
VISION QUEST
83 min | 2025 | USA | English
From The Director
'The creation of Vision Quest profoundly changed after the sudden and tragic loss of my good friend and co-creator, Christian Oliver. His death — and that of his beautiful daughters — transformed my entire approach to the film, elevating its themes and urgency to an extraordinary level.
Christian introduced me to the concept of the vision quest after his own transformative experience. He emphasized our profound need to reconnect with nature and ourselves, away from noise and distraction. After deep soul-searching, I committed to completing this film exactly as we had envisioned — to inspire others to take that same inward journey.
Each participant in the film brought forward incredible vulnerability and truth. Their stories touched something universal. Making this film became my own vision quest — and changed me in the process.
I hope Vision Quest leaves audiences contemplating: Why are we here? What defines us? And can we live more honestly, more consciously, more fully?'
- Jan Becker, Director, Vision Quest
“Making this film became my own Vision Quest — and changed me in the process.”
Watch The Trailer
A Global Human Practice
While Vision Quest draws inspiration from Native American traditions, similar rites of passage have existed across cultures and continents. From the Norse to the Amazon, from Indigenous Australians to Buddhist monastics, humans have long turned to nature, solitude, and ceremony to reconnect with purpose.
Native American Plains Tribes
Fasting and isolation in nature were used to seek visions, guidance, and connection with spirit — a sacred rite of passage among many tribes including the Lakota and Ojibwe.
Norse & Germanic Europe (útiseta)
An ancient practice of “sitting out” alone in nature to commune with spirits and ancestors — often for prophecy, healing, or soul alignment.
Indigenous Australians (Bora Ceremonies)
Ceremonial initiation into adulthood includes isolation, spiritual instruction, and reconnection with ancestral songlines and sacred land.
East & South Asian Traditions
From Buddhist renunciates retreating into forests, to shamanic seclusion in Vietnam or Okinawa, nature-based solitude is a path to awakening and transformation.
Native American Plains Tribes
Fasting and isolation in nature were used to seek visions, guidance, and connection with spirit — a sacred rite of passage among many tribes including the Lakota and Ojibwe.
A Global Human Practice
While Vision Quest draws inspiration from Native American traditions, similar rites of passage have existed across cultures and continents. From the Norse to the Amazon, from Indigenous Australians to Buddhist monastics, humans have long turned to nature, solitude, and ceremony to reconnect with purpose.
Norse & Germanic Europe (útiseta)
An ancient practice of “sitting out” alone in nature to commune with spirits and ancestors — often for prophecy, healing, or soul alignment.
Indigenous Australians (Bora Ceremonies)
Ceremonial initiation into adulthood includes isolation, spiritual instruction, and reconnection with ancestral songlines and sacred land.
East & South Asian Traditions
From Buddhist renunciates retreating into forests, to shamanic seclusion in Vietnam or Okinawa, nature-based solitude is a path to awakening and transformation.
These stories remind us: the search for truth through solitude and nature is timeless and universal.
We deeply honor those tribal cultures — especially Native American elders and teachers — who preserved these sacred ways. Vision Quest is a tribute to all who carry these traditions forward.
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