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Overlooked & Underrated Docs & Features
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Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago Here’s yet another first-time feature documentary director who’s hit one out of the park. Lydia Smith’s “Walking the Camino” follows six pilgrims on their walk on the 500 mile pilgrimage called Camino de Santiago, in Spain.
Smith and company brilliantly balance their coverage of the path itself—with its gorgeous landscapes and quaint villages—with their introduction to the pilgrims each of whom, of course, has a different story, a different path to this path. We become friends with these walkers, we want to know more about them, and we share in the fulfillment of this passage of mind, body, and soul.
Along the way we also hear from the many people who live along the path and provide food and shelter to the walkers; we also hear from priests and at least one monk sharing their thoughts about this pilgrimage and its world-wide notoriety.
As of this writing, the film is still playing theatrically. See the website, linked above, to learn either about current screenings or about home video releases.
Filmmakers Take Notice: I was deeply impressed by the credits at the end of “Walking the Camino”—it was an experience of seeing so many names of people and organizations who supported the film’s production and publicity. This is the kind of support that makes for a great film that finds a great audience.