The Tundra Within Me (2023) by Sara Margrethe Oskal: A Journey of Return, Art, and Reindeer Herders

Short Summary: Returning to Roots Lena, a Sami artist from Oslo, returns with her young son to her ancestral home in Northern Norway. She aims to connect with female reindeer herders for an art project, but a past decision and community wariness challenge her return, leading to an unexpected romance that forces her to confront her identity and past.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22054010/

Link Review: https://thefilmstage.com/tiff-review-the-tundra-within-me-is-a-quiet-drama-highlighting-the-clash-of-tradition-and-modernity/

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-tundra-within-me (US), https://www.justwatch.com/no/movie/the-tundra-within-me (Norway)

Detailed Summary: A Clash of Worlds and a Budding Romance

• Homecoming and Artistic Endeavor: Lena, a contemporary visual artist who has built a life in Oslo, returns to her hometown in Sápmi with her young son. Her primary purpose is an art residency focusing on women reindeer herders in her Sami community, exploring themes of Sami gender.

• Confronting the Past: Despite her mother's enthusiasm for her return and the opportunity to share Sami traditions with her grandson, Lena insists her stay is temporary. She carries the weight of a past decision that has left her with shame and regret, a decision still known within the community, making it difficult to connect with the wary herders.

• Artistic Challenges and Cultural Divide: Lena's provocative art, which resonates with her life in the south, faces conservative attitudes and fails to connect locally, adding to her struggles to find her place.

• Unexpected Love: Her path takes an unforeseen turn when she meets Mahtte, a male reindeer herder who dreams of managing his family's herd. A romance blossoms between them, but Lena's past and the clash of their lifestyles threaten to derail their relationship, as Mahtte's mother disapproves of Lena.

• Themes of Identity and Belonging: The film tenderly explores the immense importance of reindeer herding for Sami culture and society, while also delving into the redemptive powers of love, forgiveness, and the idea of "home." Lena's journey is one of self-discovery, finding the strength within to navigate social pressure and tradition.

Director's Vision: Authenticity and the Inner Landscape

• Sara Margrethe Oskal, a former reindeer herder herself, sought to create an authentic portrayal of Sami culture, showcasing the tension between traditional and modern lifestyles.

• Her goal was to invite audiences into a world rarely seen on screen, using stunning cinematography of the tundra to reflect both the external landscape and the characters' inner struggles.

• Oskal intentionally includes moments of Sami humor and the traditional joik singing, a spiritual and cultural art form, to enrich the cultural immersion.

• She emphasizes the importance of treasuring heritage, maintaining language, and the ongoing fight to sustain and evolve Sami culture amidst external threats like land loss and climate change.

• Oskal wanted to explore the feeling of not belonging in a traditional society and the challenges young Sami individuals face in pursuing personal dreams while preserving their indigeneity.

Themes: Heritage, Identity, and Modernity

• Tradition vs. Modernity: The film explores the universal struggle between ancient cultural practices and the pressures and opportunities of contemporary life, particularly for indigenous communities.

• Identity and Belonging: Lena's journey highlights the complexities of finding one's place when caught between two worlds—the urban south and the traditional Sami homeland—and the challenges of reconciling a personal past with community expectations.

• Love and Forgiveness: At its core, the film is a tender love story, showcasing how love can be a redemptive force, fostering forgiveness for oneself and from others.

• Cultural Preservation: "The Tundra Within Me" acts as a love letter to the Sami people, emphasizing the vital importance of reindeer herding to their culture and the ongoing efforts to maintain their language and traditions.

• Female Empowerment: The film subtly highlights the empowered role women often take in reindeer herding and Sami society, portraying bold and funny female characters.

Key Success Factors: Cultural Immersion and Authentic Performances

• Authenticity: The director's background as a former reindeer herder and artist provides an unparalleled authenticity to the narrative, with real-life reindeer herders cast in key roles to ensure genuine portrayal.

• Stunning Cinematography: The breathtakingly shot icy landscapes of the winter tundra serve as more than just a backdrop; they are an integral part of the narrative, emphasizing the connection between the Sami people and their environment.

• Strong Performances: The lead actors, including Risten Anine Kvernmo Gaup and Nils Ailu Kemi, deliver compelling and nuanced performances, creating empathy for their complex characters.

• Exploration of Underexposed Culture: The film successfully introduces audiences to the Sami culture, a people and way of life rarely seen on screen, offering a fascinating and educational context.

• Universal Themes within Specific Context: While deeply rooted in Sami culture, the film explores universal themes of identity, belonging, love, and the tension between tradition and individual aspirations, making it relatable to a broad audience.

Awards and Nominations: Recognition for Sami Talent The Tundra Within Me has garnered significant recognition, including three nominations for the prestigious Amanda Awards in Norway. These nominations include Best Lead Role for Risten Anine Gaup, Best Supporting Role for Berit Anne O. Kemi, and Best Costume Design for Anna Margaretha Oskal. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, followed by its Norwegian premiere at the Tromsø Film Festival in 2024, and has since continued its journey at international film festivals.

Critics Reception: A Poignant and Authentic Debut

• Cineuropa: Described as Sara Margrethe Oskal's "intimate debut feature," it examines how "dearly held cultural traditions can be both empowering and stifling," combining universal struggles with seldom-seen cultural particulars.

• TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival): Praised as a "tender first feature" that reveals the "immense importance of reindeer herding for Sámi culture and society" and explores "the redemptive powers of love, forgiveness, and home."

• Film Threat: Highlights the film's "conventional but good romance," noting that "what makes the film stand out is its examination of modernity versus traditions, nature versus nurture, and artistic pursuits versus practicality." It praises the director's capturing of the isolation and beauty of Sami life and the believable performances.

• Reel Film Reviews: While acknowledging an intriguing premise and superb lead performance, this review suggests the film's downfall is due to a "padded-out, repetitive midsection and second half" and a "wholly ineffective third act."

• Overall Summary: Critics generally praise "The Tundra Within Me" as a poignant, authentic, and beautifully shot debut feature that offers a rare glimpse into Sami culture. While some find the narrative somewhat conventional or repetitive in parts, its strong performances, cultural immersion, and exploration of universal themes within a unique setting are widely appreciated.

Reviews: Visually Stunning and Emotionally Resonant

• AWFJ (Alliance of Women Film Journalists): Rachel West describes the film as a "beautifully-crafted story" and a "true hidden gem," praising Oskal's nuanced direction and the powerful performances, particularly highlighting the film as a "love letter to Sámi people."

• FIFTY+SA: Dave Bradley reviews it as a "poignant exploration of heritage, authenticity, resilience and identity," noting how the film showcases a modern yet tradition-rich Sami region, where characters balance herding with contemporary life.

• The Curb: This review emphasizes how the film "challenges and honours Sámi tradition" and effectively portrays the inner conflict of individuals within colonized communities struggling with prescribed identities.

• FictionMachine: Acknowledges it as a "confident first film, boasting strong performances and alluring photography," noting the striking contrast between intimate human drama and the vast, desolate northern European backdrop.

• Overall Summary: Reviews frequently highlight the film's visual beauty, its sensitive portrayal of Sami culture, and its ability to weave a compelling human story with significant cultural and identity themes. Many commend the director's personal connection to the subject matter and the authentic performances of the cast.

Why to watch this movie: A Unique Cultural and Emotional Experience

• Cultural Immersion: Offers a rare and authentic glimpse into the vibrant and often unseen world of the Sami people and their traditional reindeer herding culture.

• Powerful Story of Identity: Explores the universal and timely themes of identity, belonging, and the tension between tradition and modern aspirations, particularly relevant in today's globalized world.

• Stunning Visuals: The film boasts breathtaking cinematography of the icy Northern Norwegian landscapes, creating a visually captivating and immersive experience.

• Compelling Romance: Features a tender and realistic love story that adds an emotional layer to the broader cultural narrative.

• Director's Personal Touch: As Sara Margrethe Oskal draws from her own experiences, the film feels deeply personal and authentic, offering a unique perspective.

Movie Trend: Indigenous Voices in Cinema "The Tundra Within Me" follows the growing trend of Indigenous cinema, where films are created by and often feature indigenous filmmakers, actors, and stories. This trend focuses on giving a platform to underrepresented voices, accurately portraying their cultures, struggles, and contemporary realities, moving beyond stereotypical representations.

Social Trend: Reconciling Tradition with Modernity The film aligns with the significant social trend of cultural revitalization and the challenge of balancing tradition with modernity. It reflects a broader societal conversation about how indigenous communities and individuals navigate the pressures of modern life while striving to preserve their unique heritage, languages, and traditional ways of living in a rapidly changing world. This includes addressing issues of land rights, cultural appropriation, and the ongoing impact of historical colonization.

Final Verdict: A Moving and Important Cultural Contribution "The Tundra Within Me" is a deeply moving and culturally significant film. Sara Margrethe Oskal's debut feature offers an intimate and authentic portrayal of Sami life, beautifully weaving a personal story of love and self-discovery into the rich tapestry of a vibrant indigenous culture. While its pacing may be deliberate for some, its stunning visuals, compelling performances, and timely themes of identity, tradition, and forgiveness make it a profoundly impactful and highly recommended watch for anyone seeking a unique and enriching cinematic experience.

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