Part of The Stories We Tell presented by Leeds Heritage Theatres. Explore the programme now.
Set on a small farm in a Norwegian forest, this remarkable new Sundance-selected documentary follows the Payne family as they try to live a purposefully isolated life, aiming to be wild and free.
Englishman Nik and his Norwegian wife Maria attempt to forge a new life on a farm in her homeland’s lush woodlands. Their goal is to live sustainably, putting as little strain upon the planet as possible. But when the family suffers a tragedy, Nik’s resolve to continue on this singular mission is severely challenged and the ‘normal’ world comes knocking. Can they maintain some version of this idyll or is it a paradise out of reach?
Bearing comparison with the events of Captain Fantastic (2016) but played out with the complexities and inescapable truths of real life, A New Kind of Wildernessis not just a heartbreaking portrait of the endurance of a family, but also a breathtaking trip into the Norwegian wilderness. The kind of unfolding, surprising, intimate and honest documentary portrait that can only emerge over years of hard-won access.
Event information
Running times: 1hr 41mins
Certificate: 15
Triggers and advisories: Bereavement/death
