Kumu Documentary: A New Kind of Wilderness
Dir Silje Evensmo Jacobsen
Norway 2024, 84 min
In Norwegian and English, with English subtitles
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 close-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 in modern society.
In A New Kind of Wilderness, the film-maker 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.
The film is a universal story about life choices and responsibilities, a blueprint for living and loving, and a touching message about the climate crisis and sustainability through the loss of a mother and Mother Nature.
2024 Sundance Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema – Documentary)
2024 Seattle International Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize (Documentary Competition)
2024 ZagrebDox, International Competition, Winner of Special Mention
