The Film
Synopsis
500 miles by foot. Bunk-beds. Blisters. Stunning landscapes. World-class snorers. Hot searing sun, freezing cold rain. Kindness from strangers. No toilet paper when you really need it. Hunger. Laughing with new friends. Total exhaustion. You are guaranteed to experience all of this when walking the ancient pilgrim path, the Camino de Santiago.
The Camino has been attracting millions of people from all over the world for more than a millenium. This mystical pilgrimage stretches across all of Northern Spain to the city of Santiago de Compostela, where the bones of St. James, apostle of Jesus Christ, are said to be buried. UNESCO has declared it a “Universal Patrimony of Humanity,” as well as a “World Heritage Site.”
Lydia B. Smith and Future Educational Films present The Camino Documentary: a film following six pilgrims from incredibly diverse walks of life, as they attempt to cross a country on foot with only a backpack, a pair of boots and an open mind. Driven by an inexplicable calling and a grand sense of adventure, each pilgrim throws themselves heart-and-soul into their physical trek to Santiago, and, most importantly, into their personal journey to themselves.
People are flocking to the Camino in record numbers; over 150,000 attempted it last year, and officials anticipate this figure will nearly double in 2010. Why are so many people leaving the comfort of their homes to walk 20 miles a day and sleep on bare mattresses with up to 200 strangers in the same room?
Originally a Catholic pilgrimage walked in order to gain admission into heaven, the Camino remains, for some, a quest of faith. Others seek time to reflect on personal issues, while some are in it for the intense physical challenge. Some train for months, but the vast majority have never walked more than five miles in one stretch. One thing becomes clear: not a one can predict how their journey will unfold.
In response to our time’s foreign tragedies and domestic hardships, The Camino Documentary is a universal story of authentic transformation for those seeking to redefine the way they live their lives, to deepen their relationship with themselves, and to rediscover their connection with the world in which they live. It is the promise of experiencing something truly extraordinary.
