The desert escape subgenre is getting a high-tension makeover this summer with Find Your Friends, a new survival thriller headed to Shudder. Marking the directorial debut of Izabel Pakzad, the film swaps out girls’ trip cliches for a gritty exploration of isolation and group dynamics.

The story follows Amber (Bella Thorne) and her close circle as they leave the chaos of Los Angeles for a weekend getaway in Joshua Tree. However, the landscape proves less than welcoming. Between the simmering aggression of the locals and the psychological weight of being stranded, the group’s internal bonds begin to fray. As the sun sets, long-standing resentments boil over, transforming their vacation into a brutal fight for survival against both external threats and each other.

​The film boasts a powerhouse cast, including:​

• Bella Thorne (The Babysitter)
• ​Chloe Cherry (Euphoria)
• ​Helena Howard (I Saw the TV Glow)
• ​Sophia Ali (Uncharted)​
• Zion Moreno (Gossip Girl)​
• Chris Bauer (True Blood)​

Shudder’s Emily Gotto has teased the film as a visceral experience that deconstructs the traditional final girl trope. By blending the stark, cinematic beauty of the California desert with a heavy dose of paranoia and revenge-fueled violence, Pakzad looks to deliver a film that is as emotionally draining as it is physically intense.​

Find Your Friends is scheduled to begin streaming on Shudder on June 12.