“Nothing brings out the truth in you, like walking for a long time in nature.“

A decade after being best friends and roommates, Chris(35) and Lluis(34) set out on a 600 kilometer hike through the Scottish Highlands. Following the West Highland way and The Cape Wrath Trail, they spend 30 days together in nature – hoping to rekindle their once-powerful friendship. But while Chris remains preoccupied with work and life back at home, Lluis is determined to finish the trail to prove he can do it. The solitude and silence of the highlands forces them to confront harsh truths about themselves, their friendship, and what it truly means to stand still and listen.

With The North, Bart Schrijver delivers a deeply moving masterpiece that takes viewers on an expansive 600 km pilgrimage through the breathtaking Highlands.

An Immersive, Introspective Film

Keeping an audience captivated for over two hours with a film that isn’t driven by overt action is a remarkable feat. Yet, Bart Schrijver achieves just that with The North, a film where two men embark on an epic hike through Scotland’s magnificent, yet challenging, landscapes.

This feature film can be aptly described as a profoundly introspective journey. Despite its slow pacing and intimate cast, it is never dull or difficult to follow. On the contrary, every moment feels significant, and even when situations echo, each scene is imbued with profound meaning.

Just like in real life, a long journey of this kind compels introspection, prompting self-reflection and a deeper understanding of the world around us. This is precisely what unfolds within the film. The introspection seamlessly transfers to the viewer, thanks not only to the film’s thoughtful rhythm but also to its eloquent silences and the utterly breathtaking landscapes that populate every frame. Schrijver and Twan Peeters (the cinematographer) masterfully film these environments, elevating them into a character in their own right, far beyond mere picturesque backdrops.

The Magic of Authenticity

Passion for one’s subject is a tremendous asset in creating a truly exceptional film. When coupled with direct experience of that subject, an artist can craft a work that transmits the pure magic of cinema through a palpable reality.

“In 2018, a friend and I hiked the length of New Zealand. In 4.5 months, we hiked more than 3,000 kilometers. This is where my love of hiking, nature, and the silence and solitude it provides began. In 2019, I hiked 700 kilometers from the North Cape to Finland. This experience was so intense that I made my first film about it: Human Nature.”

But the authenticity behind the magic goes much deeper. While some directors prefer comfort or simply a straightforward approach, and others stick rigidly to a meticulously crafted script, when filming a physically demanding journey that leads to profound introspection, there’s immense benefit in truly living the experience.

It was by trekking most of the journey themselves during filming that the director and their micro-team achieved an unparalleled realism. For The North, a dedicated team of six – two actors, a sound engineer, a cameraman, a documentarian who made a documentary about the film, and the director – brought this vision to life.

By embracing this immersive approach, the film maintains the stunning visual quality of a fiction feature while embodying the soul of the true nature. Throughout the film, you truly feel the rugged grandeur of the Highlands and the vastness of the landscapes. As the shots expand, you gain a profound appreciation for the sheer scale of the locations and the genuine challenge faced by those who dare to tackle them.

A Little More…

I spoke of realism earlier. This undeniable sense of truth you experience while watching the film doesn’t come from nowhere.

Every team member slept in tents, ensuring everyone understood the demands of the journey. The actors knew what it was like to ascend a mountain with a heavy backpack and sleep under a tent during a storm. They masterfully translated this firsthand experience into their performances. Thus, when they were weary, hungry, or wet, it was all genuinely authentic.

Consequently, if it rained, they filmed in the rain. If there was a storm, they filmed during the storm. Just like on a real hike, they adapted to the weather, making the absolute best of every moment.

To deliver a film of such exceptional quality, the director had no choice but to adapt swiftly, rewriting certain scenes as the journey unfolded or giving his actors the freedom to improvise.

Clearly a movie to see, or rather, to truly experience!

Trailer