Walking the Camino
DVD Review
500 miles on foot. Bunk-beds. Blisters. Stunning landscapes. World-class snorers. Hot searing sun, freezing cold rain. Kindness from strangers. Debilitating injury. Unexpected romance. No toilet paper when you really need it. Profound grief and deep doubt. 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.
Across Spain, this sacred path stretches westward to the city of Santiago de Compostela where the bones of the apostle St. James are said to be buried. The Camino is world-renowned; UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site and the Council of Europe declared it the first European Cultural Itinerary. Millions of people from all over the world have traveled this trail for over 1,000 years – in 2010 alone, over 270,000 people attempted the arduous trek – each one a seeker of something.
In the Middle Ages, pilgrims sought forgiveness of their sins and admission to heaven. The Camino remains, for many, a quest of faith. Others begin with no spiritual impetus in mind, but nevertheless are drawn to examine their personal beliefs and life purpose. And others are in it simply for the intense physical challenge. Whatever their motivation, no one can predict just how their path will unfold, who they will meet, what personal demons or angels they will face, or what transformations they will undergo by the trail’s end.
Walking the Camino is an up-close look at one of humanity’s most time-honored traditions. By following pilgrims from all walks of life as they attempt to cross an entire country on foot with only a backpack, a pair of boots and an open mind, we witness the Camino’s magnetic and miraculous power to change lives. 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, their personal journey to themselves.
The Making of…
Walking the Camino has been in the making since fall, 2008, when Director/Producer Lydia B. Smith returned from walking the 500-mile trail herself. With the incredible in-kind support from countless individuals, albergues, organizations, businesses and Spanish governments, we were able to begin production.
On April 22nd, 2009, our crew converged upon St. Jean Pied de Port, the traditional starting point of the Camino Francés. Coming from Chile, Germany, Italy, Spain, the USA, Argentina, and Brazil, and ranging in age from 21 to 62 years old, our 12 crewmembers were as diverse as the pilgrims themselves. We shot primarily on the Sony Ex–1 & 3 High-Definition video cameras.
During these beginning stages of the trail, we fatefully encountered the travelers that would become the cast of Walking the Camino. To truthfully capture the pilgrim experience, our three camera units trekked alongside them, conducting walk-and-talk and stationary interviews over the six-week journey. Allowing us an even more personal entry into their journey, our main pilgrims recorded hours of their own intimate video-diaries during moments of introspection on the trail or inside the albergues (special pilgrim hostels). Behind the scenes, several crewmembers captured the crew’s own candid experiences throughout the film’s making.
On June 8th, 2009, the filming of this journey was completed at the route’s official end: the city of Santiago de Compostela. We returned to the United States with over 300 hours of footage, having followed over 15 pilgrims and interviewed dozens of Camino experts – the scholars, priests, health professionals and hospitaleros (pilgrim-hostel volunteers) who live on the Camino and serve hundreds of pilgrims every day.
The DVD “Walking the Camino” is now available to purchase online at Sacred Source.
Title: Walking the Camino
Director: Lydia Smith
ISBN: 9781582705408
Run Time: 84 minutes
Price: $33.95
