Sundance 2025: ‘Folktales’ is an Wonderful Doc About Canine and Snow
by Alex Billington
January 26, 2025
Each infrequently you come throughout a movie that’s so completely made to attach deeply with you and your soul, so splendidly crafted that your feelings attain a boiling level the second it begins, so thrilling in its majesty which you can’t assist however fall immediately in love with it. Folktales is a type of movie – for me, and hopefully for a lot of others who take the time to look at it. Folktales is the most recent documentary movie from the unbelievable filmmaking duo Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, who’ve been to Sundance many instances earlier than with many nice movies together with Jesus Camp, twelfth & Delaware, Norman Lear: Simply One other Model of You, Considered one of Us, Canine, and the narrative characteristic movie I Carry You with Me. This time they journey as much as Norway the place they movie teenagers spending a 12 months at a rural folks faculty above the Arctic Circle. Right here, numerous college students study expertise like canine sledding and different solo survival expertise which, even when they do not be come dog-sledders after, helps them study to develop as individuals and develop themselves in surprising methods. It is wonderful to look at.
Folktales, co-directed by grasp doc filmmakers Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, was filmed on the Pasvik People Excessive Faculty in northern Norway. A whole lot of “folks colleges” may be discovered throughout Scandinavia – they’re locations the place younger college students can spend an unconventional “hole 12 months” studying to canine sled and survive the Arctic wilderness, in hopes of discovering connection & which means within the fashionable world. The movie focuses on three college students, emphasizing their coming-of-age experiences rising up and studying although this expertise. However the movie additionally focuses on the extraordinary canines who’re there dwelling and dealing as sled canines. Half of the movie is in regards to the canines, the opposite half is in regards to the individuals. This has the very best doggie POV photographs in it for the reason that different wonderful doggie doc The Truffle Hunters (from 2020). There’s additionally a serious a part of this doc movie that splendidly captures how the connection between human and canine is important to their development, their happiness, and to their very own emotional growth. It is a reminder of the facility of nature, particularly the facility of connection between animals & people. There’s even a snow-loving orange cat that seems in just a few scenes.
I simply can not cease raving about this doc. Phrases have been pouring out of me about it for hours after the screening at Sundance – speaking about this shot, that scene, this second, these concepts. And above all – the doggies. THE DOGGIES IN IT!!!! Probably the most cutest loveliest doggies ever serving to these people develop up. I am keen on this movie – if children cannot go to those folks colleges themselves, this needs to be taught at school. It is a close to excellent 106 min distillation of their 9 months at this faculty, capturing practically each important facet of what it is educating and their experiences and the way they develop by means of these classes. It options essentially the most spectacular cinematography and rating and storytelling and characters and all the things you can need in a doc. Enshrined by poetic voiceover discussing the Norse mythology that these folks colleges primarily based their classes round – particularly the three “Norns” that are highly effective deities who weave the threads of destiny round bushes and form people’ futures. The movie can also be a deeply transferring reminder of the facility of academics, and the way the proper people who find themselves open & understanding may help anybody overcome their biggest fears and conquer any problem. That is recognized, in fact, however the academics they spotlight on this are a few of the most loving and humble ever in a doc movie.
I additionally should particularly point out the 2 cinematographers who labored on this movie – Tor Edvin Eliassen and Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo. I am unable to charge a movie extremely with out being completely enamored and in awe of the photographs and the composition, and that is a few of the greatest cinematography in any doc. I do not care if this all comes throughout as hyperbolic, this movie completely deserves this type of acclaim. These two cinematographers are capable of completely seize this world within the Arctic North. Not solely do they use drones & handheld cameras in extraordinarily chilly situations, they spend months in full darkness, then return to the college’s campus the place they craft a few of the most artistic angles of the scholars hanging out and attending courses. It by no means feels obtrusive or disruptive, it is all so pure, and naturally part of the expertise of the movie and what these college students are going by means of. There are just a few drone photographs that I am unable to cease speaking about. Folktales is an immediate all-time favourite doc. One other doggie doc masterpiece. One other movie that I believe can and will change lives. Because it ought to. Now it is time for it to emerge from Sundance and make its mark upon the entire world.
Alex’s Sundance 2025 Score: 10 out of 10
Observe Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing