THE STORY – In a forest in Norway, a family lives an isolated lifestyle in an attempt to be wild and free, but a tragic event changes everything, and they are forced to adjust to modern society.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Silje Evensmo Jacobsen (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 84 Minutes
Film is an inherently transportive medium. Every movie pulls its audience into its world and lets them luxuriate in it for an hour-plus. The documentary “A New Kind of Wilderness” does that and more, making viewers feel as if they’ve practically been adopted by the central family. In a fairly short runtime, it acquaints those watching with every member of the family so closely that it’s as if they could walk off the screen and anyone watching could have a comfortable conversation with them. It’s a startling achievement in the art of cinematic empathy.
The film follows the Payne family, which is made up of four children led by father Nik. They live on a farm in Norway in what might be called an “off the grid” lifestyle. They grow their own food and raise their own livestock, and the three youngest children are homeschooled. The film begins with narration by the family matriarch, Maria, describing their living conditions. However, it becomes clear that Maria has since passed away after developing cancer. Upon her death, the oldest daughter (who has a different father from the other children) leaves the farm, and Nik must make the tough decision to make changes to their curated lifestyle in the face of the altering circumstances of their lives.
Although any description of the film may imply otherwise, “A New Kind of Wilderness” isn’t about the concept of living an alternative lifestyle. Instead, it’s an unobtrusive look at how one loving family must face a sudden, unplanned change to both their external lives and internal well-being. It gracefully shows the subtle domino effects of such moments in life in a continuous, linear line.
Director Silje Evensmo Jacobsen uses a gentle tone to make the audience feel the same quiet sadness that the family feels. Their grief isn’t overwhelmingly constant, but it’s always present in varying levels. Smartly, Jacobsen’s camera feels invisible, more closely resembling a narrative film rather than a snapshot of a real family. Their environment is also well shot, capturing the gorgeous natural landscape of the Paynes’ lives in a way that makes it clear why they’d want to live in such a nature-based fashion.
Although it’s effectively told, the film feels limited in its scope. Of course, this narrow perspective keeps the film focused on its central exploratory idea, but it doesn’t give viewers a full sense of their lives. However, what it does effectively is familiarize the audience with the family members as individual, emotional beings. The film never passes any judgment about their atypical lifestyle and instead places viewers into the family’s life as observers led first and foremost by the heart. It’s impossible to watch “A New Kind of Wilderness” and not feel something close to affection for the family. It’s an endlessly compassionate look at the human heart and the feelings we all share, regardless of circumstances.
