In Norway’s far north, where winters stretch long and the aurora paints the sky, a group of young adults sets out on a modern hero’s journey. Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s documentary Folktales doesn’t follow Vikings clashing with trolls or giants. Instead, its battles are quieter yet no less daunting: grief, fear, and the uncertainty of growing up. Unlike the heroes of the Eddas, these youths don’t all stride forward with courage, but they still answer the call. The film follows three 19-year-olds each weighed down by their own struggles.
Hege spends her nights partying, still drifting after losing her father many years ago. Bjørn shrinks from new friendships, convinced he is an outcast. Romain has withdrawn even further: he dropped out of school and hides from the world in fear. None of them knows what future to pursue, but all crave change. That chance comes through the Pasvik Program (Pasvik Folkehøgskole), a modern version of Norway’s folk schools. First established in the 1840s to bring education to rural areas, these schools were never about diplomas. They offered reflection, skill-building, and community. In Finnmark, this offering continues that tradition by inviting young people to take part voluntarily in an immersive experience—one that tests them both physically and emotionally.
The wilderness itself provides the trials. Students train sled dogs, learn bushcraft, and even attempt hunting. At times, the program resembles a gentler boot camp, though resilience, not toughness, is the goal. Struggles in the wild mirror the struggles of daily life, with the group environment offering a safety net. Survival here isn’t only about enduring frosty nights—it’s about confronting what lies within.
And while no one journeys into the underworld, a classic stage in the hero’s tale, perhaps Romain embodies that descent. His situation feels precarious, and his lack of confidence runs so deep he seems ready to vanish into isolation at any moment. The filmmakers wisely let his story unfold with suspense. By contrast, Hege and Bjørn’s arcs reveal how vulnerability can transform into strength. Their lives intertwine, echoing the Norns of Norse myth, weaving destinies that may fray or strengthen depending on how the strands are held together.
Visually, Folktales captivates. Nearly every film I’ve seen set in this part of the world shines in some unique way. The filmmakers embrace symbolism with recurring red filters during night sequences, bathing scenes in a mythic glow. The Northern Lights, usually remembered for their green shimmer, blaze red across the sky. Even filtered through a lens, the sight feels magical, a reminder of how small we are beneath nature’s expanse. The image of Yggdrasil—the world tree—bound in red yarn reinforces the film’s meditation on connection, resilience, and faith. For those familiar with Scandinavian mythology, these moments resonate on another level, anchoring the struggles of three young adults in something timeless.
Ewing and Grady’s background in socially conscious films (Jesus Camp, One of Us) serves them well here. They listen closely to their subjects, giving Hege, Bjørn, and Romain the space to speak their truths. The result is not a detached sociological study but an intimate act of witness. Vulnerability on screen can be unsettling, yet it is also deeply moving. At times, viewers may feel like unexpected confidants, as though cinema itself has become a space for listening.
If the film falters, it does so when it romanticizes the program. Life in the Arctic wilderness can be brutal, and the documentary occasionally softens that reality into spectacle. For audiences unfamiliar with the Pasvik Program, questions linger: how do counsellors balance guidance with freedom? What happens to those who cannot finish? Glimpses of other students hint at a wider community, but the camera stays tightly on the three central figures. These gaps don’t undercut the heart of the film, but they leave the larger social context underexplored.
Still, Folktales shines in its portrayal of courage. It avoids neat resolutions, acknowledging how hard change can be, especially for those burdened by trauma. By placing these young adults in a landscape both harsh and beautiful, it shows that growth comes not from conquest but from faith in oneself and trust in others.
Like the Norse sagas, this story is less about the destination than the journey that still lies ahead. There are no dragons to slay, no giants to defeat—only quieter battles against despair, loneliness, and fear. Facing those struggles openly, and sharing them, turns them into victories in their own right. In the end, Folktales feels both intimate and expansive: a portrait of three young Norwegians, and a meditation on what it means to find one’s place in the vast weave of life.
4 Stars out of 5
Folktales Trailer
Folktales Upcoming Dates:
Ottawa – ByTowne Cinema – August 22 – 28
Toronto – Hot Docs Cinema – September 23 – October 2
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