Watching the adults of tomorrow grow up — or not — is a scary proposition for this Child of the ’80s. Folktales proves that being a teenager knows no boundary, as the kids in Scandinavian countries struggle just as much, or even more so, than the coddled kids of America in developmental and societal norms. I kept comparing and contrasting the two while watching this documentary throughout its cold-climate runtime.
At a very early age, I became infatuated with the ice planet Hoth, and ever since that first viewing of The Empire Strikes Back in a movie theater far, far away, I’ve been a life-long fan of skiing, snowboarding and everything else imaginable to experience in a frozen atmosphere. It’s one reason I binged the complete series of both Mountain Men and Yukon Men within the last six months. And it’s another reason why I was excited to watch this film.
Balancing between English and Norwegian as spoken languages, Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady depict teenagers living near the Norway-Russia border who choose to attend folk high schools — those that offer free education to rural kids seeking a year of independence before becoming an adult. For the most part, these 18- and 19-year-old outsiders are definite underdogs; some have previously dropped out of high school, while many simply fight to overcome social anxieties, among other obstacles, as they may or may not realize it’s time to finally grow up.
Three students are the main focus of the film. Hege is an overthinker, dealing with the death of her father (which none of her friends know the details about). Bjorn has a hard time making and keeping friends. And Romain is the weakest link, as he’s socially unaware and always at war with himself, questioning his abilities and mindset throughout.
Taking place at Finnmark, Norway, which is 200 miles above the Arctic Circle, Pasvik Folk School offers Arctic survival skills and a dog-sledding class in order to impart self-reliance into its student, as hunting, gathering, fishing, camping, hiking, woodworking, knitting, tool work, leather work, language and dancing are taught.
But one of the biggest chores the students must learn is to believe in themselves, which is taught, in part, by managing the different personalities of the sled dogs.
“The dogs teach us to be more human… maybe more patient.”
A scene from FOLKTALES, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo Courtesy: Tori Edvin Eliassen, Magnolia Pictures.
The filmmakers get philosophic at times, as the Pasvik instructors plant the seeds of positivity and can-do-it-ness into these kids who sometimes have bad attitudes. They’re stubborn at times. They must jump through mental hurdles when they struggle. Some of the students are extremely shy, as are the dogs. Others aren’t. The training and the work are therapeutic to the kids and the dogs… but only to those who are willing. One student even drops out. Mental illness is rough, wherever you live.
“There’s no danger in falling. You’ve just got to get back up, again.”
Mother nature is a main character, here, and the brief glimpses of the Northern Lights are spectacular. The fly on the wall camerawork never feels forced, as filming the natural interaction of these teens never feels like they’re acting. Starting over for these coddled city folks is difficult, much like life, in general. However, Sautso, the sick dog, is more relatable than any of these kids, whose patience and tolerance is incredibly high. Fully immersed in the process, it’s no surprise that Hege forms a beautiful bond with him.
The three main kids definitely have their flaws; they’re not perfect, but they do have some character developments that finally arrive. And when the social outcasts finally bond, it feels important, but not absolutely pivotal. One of the common threads that keeps unspooling is the need to find meaning in the modern world — but it doesn’t seem to feel so urgent with everyone. The tests which the humans — and the animals — must endure are tough, and the movie attempts to follow quite a few of them, never staying on track and focusing on one.
Could the film’s 18 producers have had an overriding impact on its themes?
I will admit I cried a little at its conclusion, if only for the future sake of our world, in different countries, in different languages, moving forward in positivity. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to participate in a folk school like this. I’m not sure if Hoth-like living conditions will ever factor into my world, but these kids, dogs and instructors experience a whole lot of drama before their lives eventually settle down, so dealing with mother nature almost feels like just another test which is either pass or fail — that is very relatable.
“He’s not so kissy. He’s just weird and old.”