A New Kind of Wilderness

Winner of Sundance’s World Cinema Grand Jury Prize for Documentary, this poignant film follows a family living off-grid and learning to face change in the wake of the unexpected.

On a picturesque farm in the Norwegian forest, the Payne family – British father Nik, Norwegian mother Maria and their four children – have thrived for years in isolation from the modern world, determined to maintain their sustainable-living independence in harmony with nature. But when Maria is diagnosed with cancer, the family faces a devastating loss, along with the daunting prospect of integrating themselves into contemporary society.

Filmmaker Silje Evensmo Jacobsen follows the Paynes as they’re forced to move from the sublime woodland environs to a more populated area while attempting to uphold the values they cherish. Aided by archival footage and voiceover from the late Maria, Jacobsen builds an affecting, eye-opening portrait of grief and perseverance – and the value of human society, in all its many forms.