A heartwarming documentary about young people learning to stand on their own two feet in the Norwegian wilderness, relying on themselves, peers, and sled dogs as they navigate the path to adulthood and uncharted personal growth.
Genre: documentary
Language: English, Norwegian, subtitles: English
Length: 1 hr 45 mins (2025)
Folktales by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady takes viewers to the far north of Norway. At Pasvik Folk High School, 200 miles above the Arctic Circle, a group of teenagers opts for an unconventional gap year: no classroom lessons or screens, but dog sledding, surviving in the Arctic wilderness, and learning to rely on each other—and on a loyal pack of Alaskan huskies.
Ewing and Grady follow the young people on the threshold of adulthood. Uncertainty and resistance slowly give way to personal growth, self-confidence, and a deeper connection with nature and one another. In the myths of the ancient North, the Norns weave the fate of humankind.
Come and watch this heartwarming portrait of a generation searching for meaning and direction, far from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.
Reviews
““Folktales” is not only magical and warm, it’s also a bracing interlude of good cheer. The sled dogs keep saying, “Arrooo!” and I felt the same way.” Wall Street Journal
"Taking on tyranny of social media as teens learn to live like hunter-gatherers.” The Guardian
“Frigid, furry and very sweet coming-of-age doc.” The Hollywood Reporter
SG & USE/ITEC registration
Please register for SG & USE/ITEC by scanning your student ID card at the venue.
More information about SG & USE/ITEC can be found here.
Ticket information
This film will be shown at Filmhuis De Zwarte Doos.
- Tickets must be purchased online in advance and can be bought by clicking the black “Order” button on this page.
- Cash or card payments are not accepted at the ticket counter.
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Please be on time
The screening of the film begin promptly at 19:30 (with no pre-film advertisements), and the cinema hall will open at 19:10. We kindly request that you arrive at the ticket counter at least 10 minutes before the start of the film to ensure a smooth and timely experience for all.
The Studium Generale film program is created in collaboration with the Student Film Committee and Natlab.