The thoughtful documentary "Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago" follows pilgrims on a journey that's hard on the feet and good for the soul.
Thousands every year take up the Camino de Santiago, a nearly 500-mile walk through northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Filmmaker Lydia B. Smith profiles six pilgrims in one season on the Camino, each with a unique story.
They are: a devout Catholic from France who takes her 3-year-old son along; a young Portuguese man seeking adventure and finding blisters; a Brazilian-born Brit seeking clarity in her chaotic life; an elderly Canadian widower walking to honor his wife; a Danish woman who strikes up a relationship with a Canadian pilgrim; and a middle-aged American battling fears she won't be able to finish.
The stories intertwine with fascinating details about the route, the logistics of walking 478 miles in a month, and the traditions that have taken hold over the past 12 centuries. The resulting film is a beautiful travelogue and a meditation on the spirituality of endurance.
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'Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago'
Opens Friday, Nov. 7, at the Tower Theatre; not rated, but probably PG for mild language and thematic elements; 84 minutes.
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