featuring @lunapalacecinemas
The North, directed by Bart Schrijver, is a quiet hiking drama that feels less like a traditional film and more like an extended documentary. It follows two former best friends—Chris and Lluis—who, a decade after drifting apart, embark on a grueling 600-kilometer journey along trails like the West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail. What begins as an attempt to reconnect evolves into something deeper: a raw confrontation with lost time, personal regrets, changing lives, and the healing power of nature.
This is not a film packed with high-stakes drama or twists. Instead, it embraces a deliberate, unhurried pace that mirrors the physical and emotional rhythm of long-distance hiking. Much like the best walking films (think Wild or The Way, but with a more intimate, male-friendship focus), The North lets the landscape do much of the heavy lifting.
The two leads bring a natural, lived-in chemistry that captures the awkwardness of rekindling an old friendship after years apart—the tentative conversations, the silences that speak volumes, the subtle shifts from nostalgia to tension. Schrijver’s direction shines in how he trusts the audience to read between the lines. There’s little exposition; instead, revelations emerge organically through shared blisters, camp conversations, and quiet moments of vulnerability. As one reviewer noted, it explores “male vulnerability” without feeling forced or preachy.
Where The North excels is in its universality. It doesn’t shy away from the messiness of adult friendships—how people grow in different directions, the grief of what was lost, and the quiet courage required to show up again. It celebrates the simple yet profound act of putting one foot in front of the other, both literally and figuratively. That said, its strengths are also potential drawbacks. At over two hours, the deliberate pacing may test viewers craving more plot momentum. If you’re not drawn to character-driven, atmospheric cinema or outdoor adventure stories, it might not land as powerfully.
The North is a beautiful, soul-soothing gem. It won’t blow you away with spectacle, but it will live with you. Recommend for anyone who appreciates nature’s quiet wisdom or has ever wondered what happened to an old friend.
Screening at Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, and the Windsor from June 4.
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
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