Folktales

Directed by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
United States
2025
106 mins

Synopsis

A “folk school” in the middle of Norway’s Arctic provides the backdrop for this heartwarming tale of self-discovery following three teens learning life lessons – including dog sledding.

In the 1840s, folk schools offered education to rural communities in Scandinavia. Today, people from around the world converge upon these institutions, seeking to grow and prepare for adulthood. This moving, Sundance-selected doc follows Hege, Romain, and Bjørn Tore, three Gen Z-ers battling with loneliness, social anxiety, and the pressures of modern life. At their new school, they’re met with challenging activities, from bonding with sled dogs matched to their personalities, to learning how to survive alone on a harsh Arctic night. Folktales beautifully captures the emotional complexity of this life stage, blending breathtaking landscapes with intimate moments of resilience and quiet triumphs.

Limited seats are available for patrons requiring access for wheelchairs, low vision and hearing loop. Please contact our ticketing team directly on 1300 733 733 or tickets@sff.org.au to complete your booking.

A warm and big-hearted crowd-pleaser… beautifully shot.
Dan Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

Tickets

Thu 12 June 2025, 6:15pm
Ritz Randwick - Cinema 3
WheelchairAssisted Listening
Sun 15 June 2025, 3pm
Hayden Orpheum - Cinema 5
Wheelchair
  • Program Strand
  • Year
    2025
  • Classification
    Unclassified 15+
  • Country
    USA, Norway
  • Language
    In English and Norwegian with English subtitles
  • Director
    Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
  • Producer
    Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
  • Cinematographer
    Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo, Tor Edvin Eliassen
  • Editor
    Nathan Punwar
  • Genre
  • Premiere
    Australian Premiere
  • Company Credits
    Production Company: Loki Films
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Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.

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