Imagine getting an assignment in arguably the most remote area in the U.S, where most murders are never solved and most criminals are never found.

  • 'Wind River' stars Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner
  • Film explores cultural relationship with Native Americans
  • Movie is in limited release, comes to Tampa on Aug. 18

Oh, and it's downright freezing, as all kinds of horrific things are happening all around — and to — you.

The new thriller "Wind River" stars Elizabeth Olsen and Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner. We snagged an interview with the duo before the limited release:

ALLISON WALKER TORRES: We're talking about an area the size of Rhode Island. Only six officers cover it. So Jeremy, it's not the land of back-up; it's a land of you're-on-your-own. Expound on that.

JEREMY RENNER: Yeah, it's a large backdrop for every small community on the Wind River reservation. I play a tracker that works on the reservation for the indigenous people that are there. The landscape is definitely a character, where the laws of nature and the laws of man collide. I think Elizabeth's character is the one that sort of dictates kind of what that is.

ELIZABETH OLSEN: Yeah, the fish-out-of-water, rookie federal agent just coming in to try and help solve —

JR: Is your character from Orlando, by the way?

EO: She's from Florida.

AWT: I thought she was from Vegas. Wasn't she a free agent in Vegas?

EO: She was placed in Vegas. So, yeah, she was just coming from court.

AWT: These conditions you had to work through — it looked miserable out there!

EO: It actually wasn't as bad. I thought it would be awful the way you assume it's awful because I'm not one built for snowy mountains. City snow's one thing. Snowy mountains is another. Riding on snowmobiles in order to get to set... The crew moving equipment on sleds that were being dragged behind a snowmobile. It was a tough shoot, but it made the filming process really active and it made us have to be problem-solvers on our feet.

AWT: The director only wanted Native Americans playing Native American roles. I don't want to sound antiquated bringing up the relationship between Native Americans and non-Indians, but then again, what did you learn about this coexistence?

JR: It's a much more modern take on observation of Native Americans and the land of Native Americans vs. what we've been sort of fed in cinema with cowboys and Indians... It's sort of the current state of Native Americans and the conditions and lifestyles and atrocities that still go on. We had a lot of people around us, a lot of support around us, and that was just the greatest thing. It was just our job to get it as accurate and authentic and raw in our storytelling.

"Wind River" is on limited release — it hits Tampa on Aug. 18, but Orlando's dates have not yet been released.