A New Kind of Wilderness

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A New Kind of Wilderness

2024

1h 24m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

91%

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23 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

On a small farm in a Norwegian forest, the Paynes live a purposefully isolated life, aiming to be wild and free. Maria and Nik, along with their four children Ulv, Falk, Freja, and Ronja are self-sufficient. They practice home-schooling and strive for a closely-knit family dynamic in harmony with nature. However, when tragedy strikes the family, it upends their idyllic world and forces them to forge a new path into modern society. In A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS, filmmaker Silje Evensmo Jacobsen captures an intimate and soulful portrait of love, life, and growing up. The Paynes' journey, their triumphs and struggles, invite reflection on our own life choices, our responsibility to the planet and our children, and how we navigate life after loss.

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Oct 8

This Sundance prizewinner is rather special: a story of pain and a work of heartbreaking optimism.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

May 15

4/5

Jacobsen is an instinctive stylist and the film sometimes slips into cottagecore territory... Yet the truth of the family’s situation always surfaces, making the beauty hollow and the loss more keenly felt.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

May 13

5/5

A deeply humane and emotionally literate piece of work.

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Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

Sep 8

Movies are empathy machines, and by conveying the family as an ideal rather than an oddity, Jacobsen has excelled at her craft.

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Jared Frank

MovieJawn

Aug 26

There is no moment in A New Kind of Wilderness that resembles a climax, no enormous moment of catharsis. Instead, we see life continue, with a minimum of melodrama, but plenty of quiet sentiment.

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Nadine Whitney

The Curb

10/26/2024

B

A New Kind of Wilderness is a documentary suffused with magic, tragedy, and gaining wisdom both old and new.

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Annie P

12/03/2024

Touching, intimate, vulnerable and beautifully shot. I wish more people were talking about this film!

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Jennie M

11/07/2024

The film maker did a beautiful job capturing a family’s grief and hard life decisions, show casing each member’s journey to healing. My favorite movie this year by far! We’ll done, it won’t disappoint.

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Gijs B

08/30/2024

Beautiful and honest piece

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Silje Evensmo Jacobsen

Director

Henriette Faye-Schjøll

Voice

Siw Laurent

Voice

Silje Evensmo Jacobsen

Screenwriter

Mari Bakke Riise

Producer

Yngve Leidulv Sætre

Sound Designer

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Synopsis

On a small farm in a Norwegian forest, the Paynes live a purposefully isolated life, aiming to be wild and free. Maria and Nik, along with their four children Ulv, Falk, Freja, and Ronja are self-sufficient. They practice home-schooling and strive for a closely-knit family dynamic in harmony with nature. However, when tragedy strikes the family, it upends their idyllic world and forces them to forge a new path into modern society. In A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS, filmmaker Silje Evensmo Jacobsen captures an intimate and soulful portrait of love, life, and growing up. The Paynes' journey, their triumphs and struggles, invite reflection on our own life choices, our responsibility to the planet and our children, and how we navigate life after loss.

Director: Silje Evensmo Jacobsen
Producer: Mari Bakke Riise
Screenwriter: Silje Evensmo Jacobsen
Production Co: A5 Film
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 24m