Billy Dean Anderson was a prolific criminal and outsider artist who lived in a Tennessee cave for almost five years while on the run from the FBI. The cave became his home, spiritual refuge, and art studio. Billy’s decades-spanning criminal career included multiple imprisonments, three shootouts with the law, three prison escapes, and culminated with an addition to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. Knowing his criminal past, why do so many of the locals still support Billy to this day?

Despite Billy’s time as an outlaw, he also had an unstoppable creative drive. He painted dozens of paintings during his life, and found a way to pursue his passion while he was on the run from the FBI and living in his cave deep in the mountains of Tennessee. Many of his pieces are still displayed in local homes and churches throughout Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, and beyond. For me, the film is about the power of art to pull you out of your darkest moments, and I think it did just that for Billy. Our goal is to not only tell a human story of raw survival in unimaginable circumstances, but also use the film as a tool to show how art can be a healing force for people and their community.