Movies

The Story Behind Folktales and the Arctic Refuge Where Teens Escape the Anxieties of Modern Life

BBG News

Nestled in Finnmark, Norway, around 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, you’ll find Pasvik Folk High School. In their latest work titled “Folktales,” directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (known for “Jesus Camp” and “One of Us”) chose this remote location to capture the lives of its students – young adults taking a break from everyday distractions to focus on character development rather than academic grades. The school offers an immersive experience in nature, fostering a unique way of life.

Exploring Finnmark, located at the highest point of Norway, offers a unique and unparalleled experience. As Grady shares, “I was astonished by its personal impact on me.” Upon arrival, one can’t help but feel a sense of tranquility wash over them as their body relaxes.

Ewing and Grady stumbled upon folk schools after hearing Blair Braverman, a dog sledder, discuss them on a podcast. They later read her book, “Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North”. As Ewing notes, Braverman writes about attending a folk high school in northern Norway, which significantly impacted her perspective on life. Upon further research into folk schools, the filmmakers found themselves drawn to the concept of a school where students could spend a year focusing on self-growth rather than academics.

In my perspective as a movie enthusiast, I’ve always been captivated by the transitional phases from childhood to adulthood – those fleeting instances that shape our lives profoundly. I find myself particularly fascinated by the impactful words spoken to young minds, which can steer them on one path or another. As a documentarian, if you’re able to encapsulate these poignant moments in a verité style, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.

In northern Europe, folk schools are widely used for education. Over 400 of these schools can be found in Scandinavia, with approximately 80 located in Norway. The curriculum at folk schools varies greatly; students may study filmmaking, circus arts, or even the lifestyle of ancient Vikings. However, Ewing and Grady specifically examined a school that focuses on training students to use Alaskan Huskies for honing outdoor survival skills. According to Ewing, “there’s an idea that these animals can help a person become more human.

In their pursuit of creating Folktales, Ewing and Grady were driven by several crucial questions: How can we empower young people to cope with social anxiety? What unique experiences can a youth who has survived COVID-19 offer that fosters genuine connections? Can anything encourage a Gen Z member to spend less time on their phone? According to Grady, during the production process, they encountered dedicated teachers who shared stories about how they’ve witnessed transformations in children as they worked together and cared for animals, revealing the human side within each individual.

As a movie critic, I immersed myself for almost an entire year within the walls of Pasvik Folk High School, observing each student intently. In the quest to uncover our main characters, Ewing and Grady were drawn to those who weren’t content with the current state of affairs and yearned for change. Upon meeting Bjørn, Romain, and Hege, it was evident that they shared a unique generosity, vulnerability, and tenderness that resonated deeply with us.

Bjørn, a spirited individual, was on a quest to forge lasting friendships. Romain, burdened by social anxiety, sought solace in finding the courage to connect with others. Hege, grappling with the loss of her father, embarked on a journey to discover a new sense of purpose. Each of these remarkable students had their own personal aspirations, and it was our privilege to document their transformative journeys.

In my perspective, spending a day at Pasvik is far from ordinary. As a helper with the Alaskan Huskies, I rise before dawn to ensure they’re well-fed and hydrated, long before we all sit down for breakfast. Afterward, we gather as a community, discussing our upcoming activities. Sometimes, we even catch the news together, though it wasn’t included in the documentary. Grady shares, “It was captivating, but we felt it didn’t align with audience preferences.”

Our days are a blend of free time and thrilling experiences like skiing with the dogs, dogsledding, and ice skating on the river. Once a week, we embark on extended expeditions, learning skills such as constructing igloos where we spend the night. Grady describes it as “Outward Bound on steroids.

As a movie buff, I’d put it this way: Folk schools offer a breath of fresh air, a chance to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with nature. While students are free to use their phones whenever they want, the hands-on experiences at folk schools tend to draw them away. From crafting knives and fires to knitting clothes, these practical skills keep their eyes off screens and fingers busy. During my time at Pasvik, I observed something fascinating – the more we immersed ourselves in nature and interacted with each other, the less we seemed to be glued to our phones. It was as if the allure of real-life interactions could finally challenge the endless scrolling. Being amidst nature and togetherness truly gave the phone a tough competition.

As a cinephile, I found it fascinating that despite the setting of Folktales being Norway, most dialogue was conducted in English. This is because Pasvik and other folk schools draw students from various corners of the globe, and many Norwegians are fluent in English. Grady remarks, “They’re incredibly polite. If they find themselves around a non-native Norwegian speaker, they’ll converse in English.” One of our characters, Roman, is Dutch, so whenever he’s on screen, the language shifts to English. However, when Norwegians interact among themselves, they switch back to their native tongue, Norwegian.

Working with a group of teenagers can be quite difficult, but there’s an old saying in Hollywood that you should never work with animals, especially animals as challenging as Alaskan Huskies. As Grady explains, “Filming the dogs was actually simpler than filming the Gen Z teenagers. They didn’t mind their appearance and were always happy to see you. Sometimes a harness might slip off them, but they didn’t seem to mind. They were just having fun!” Ewing adds, “They walk on you and push you over. They’re fun-loving, but they require constant attention, which I believe is beneficial for these teenagers.

In the narrative of “Folktales,” it’s breathtaking not just to observe the stark elegance of the Norwegian Arctic landscape, but also the evolution of Bjørn, Romain, and Hege. Amidst the overwhelming gloom of issues like climate change, gun violence, and geopolitical instability that seem to plague their generation, it sometimes feels as if a better life is unattainable. However, these characters in “Folktales” develop, over the course of a year documented on film, into more complete individuals, capable of feats they never dreamt of. Free from the daily grind, they seize the opportunity to strive for something greater, and they do so with enthusiasm.

Documentaries have traditionally shown some tough realities of society that need to be brought to light for a broader audience. However, “Folktales” stands out as remarkably hopeful. It seems almost like a spiritual sequel to Lauren Greenfield’s “Social Studies,” an intriguing exploration of how social media impacts teenagers, but one with a much more somber tone. Yet, Ewing and Grady didn’t initially aim to create a film with a positive slant. Instead, their focus was on capturing the genuine experiences of these young individuals.

According to Ewing, our initial motivation was to satisfy our curiosity about the experiences within a folk high school. We were interested in understanding who attends such institutions, what drives them, and how their lives are affected. This desire sprang naturally from the community – even the dogs seemed to share it.

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2025-07-25 19:07

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