Pathfinder, el guía del desfiladero

Every once in a while, a true gem pops up unexpectedly. This story based on a legend from the Lapps, or Saami, is just such a case in point. Everything in it works. The elements of folklore and the mythic journey come together in an amazing tale of a young man's journey to manhood and redemption. The most amazing thing about this film, however, is its realization in the cultural context from which it belongs. This is a Saami legend, told in the Saami language and Saami actors giving us a deep drink of their rich culture. The scenery is breathtaking in its stark, snow-white beauty. The tale is brutal but life in the circumpolar region we knew as Lappland was often brutal and unforgiving. This is a hearty tale of a hardy people and while it focuses on the journey and heroic adventure of a young man, it is also very much a tale of the Saami people, many of whom still follow their reindeer herds across that barren, frozen landscape today. The film is wonderful in its simplicity and honesty. There are no high dramatic moments, no cars flying across the screen, no explosions with smoke and fire billowing into the air and no open-mouth noisy smooching. As one reviewer noted, Disney, Lucas and Spielberg could well take lessons from this film. It is simply excellent and merely greatly wonderful. My only regret as an anthropologist who specialized in working with pastoral nomads, was that I never worked with the Saami or the Tibetans [viewers who liked this film should also check out Himalaya, for a similar way of life on the other side of the world from the Saami]

This beatiful movie is the first motion picture that has been shot with the Sami language as the main language. It has been shot on location here in northern Norway, and the storyline is an old tale that has been passed on by generations by the Sami people. Worth noting is also that both the crew and the cast are mainly Sami people.

Anyone in the business of storytelling should begin with a good story, which is precisely what Norwegian director Nils Gaup did for his Oscar nominated debut feature, adapting a thousand year old Scandinavian legend about a young boy who rescues a small community of fellow Laplanders from a horde of ruthless invaders. The setting may be exotic (the film was shot almost entirely above the Arctic Circle) but the basic mythic outline can be (and likely has been) translated anywhere, from the American West to "…a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away". Certain elements are by now so familiar they might almost be clichés: the young hero, orphaned by an evil enemy (the Tchudes, dressed all in black and speaking a harsh, guttural language); his refuge with a likewise threatened nearby tribe, who see him as their savior; the medicine man who will guide him to wisdom; and so forth. Gaup knows enough not to embellish an already proved formula, and as a result his film offers brisk, uncomplicated entertainment, with action scenes as thrilling as anything coming out of Hollywood these days. But now that the legend is on film, will future generations of Lapp children learn it from their elders by simply renting a DVD?

A magical movie in that it connects the viewer to two world at once--the here-and-now world and the mystical world which connects all people to creation. This is hinted at in the double meaning of "pathfinder", as Rasti points out to "the lad" when he explains the difference between them and the bandits. The bandits, Rasti says, have lost their way, in a spiritual as well as literal way. So the Pathfinder is guide for both this and the spirit world. In leading the bandits to their death, the lad becomes their Pathfinder in the spiritual sense as well--leading them further along the path of spiritual self-destruction that they have set out on. Having followed this path to the end, he is able to return to his people and become their new Pathfinder. The spiritual symbolism of the story also resonates with Christian symbolism--the hero who offers his life so others may live, who is cast down into the abyss only to rise out of it to bring the good news of salvation and life to his people. But it's also a wonderful tale that takes the viewer to a different time, place, and culture. A tale made even more remarkable by how familiar it seems in its otherness. It's also a wonderful piece of movie-making. Cinemagraphically it must look magnificent on the big screen--the sense of isolation would only be magnified. In a way it's almost a silent movie--the dialogue is eloquently sparse and one could probably follow the story without subtitles. A very rewarding and satisfying movie.

In this movie, people don't talk so much as ordinary movies, however their faces, eyes, gestures express very strongly their feelings, coming danger, hard condition living in the nature.

Very beautiful movie with beautiful views and pure people.