Feature-Length Films
Camino: The Journey to Santiago.  El Camino de Santiago. 1993, 60min, Documentary. Director: José Maria Pérez. French with English subtitles. Filmed on location, El Camino de Santiago explores the spiritual significance of the legend of St. James and it follows the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The film investigates the legend and legacy of St. James the Apostle, whose remains are said to be interred there. The film captures some sense of the ancient peace and quiet on the Camino's footpaths. El Camino de Santiago includes a performance of two pieces taken from the Cantiagas de Santa Maria Alfonso X (El Sabio) by Jordi Aavall and Monserrat Figures with La Capella Reial and Hespérion XX. Website. |
 El Camino de Santiago — El origen. 2010, 47min, Documentary. Desde el origen, nuestra galaxia, la Vía Láctea, marca una dirección sobre la tierra hacia el fin del mundo. Gentes de todos los tiempos recorrieron ese camino señalado por las estrellas, en una apasionante búsqueda del sentido de la vida. Mathieu, un joven francés del siglo XII, emprenderá un viaje fantástico a través de las historias que dieron alma y significado a ese primitivo camino de las estrellas. Spanish with English subtitles. Available as a Vimeo download or on demand. IMDB. |
 El Camino de Santiago no un camino de rosas (The Camino de Santiago is not a path of roses). 2006, 1h 50min, Documentary. Director: José Alvarez. Spanish video with English sub-titles interviews pilgrims of many nationalities as well as priests, hospitaleros and volunteers on the Camino francés incuding the Brazilian poet Lady Foppa. There is a poignant interview with the daughter of Felisa, one of the well-known characters along the way who died in October 2002 at the age of 92. Those who walked the Camino before the end of 2002 will remember Felisa, a wizened old woman who had a table outside a ramshackle farmhouse on the side of the road near Logroño with a sign that read, “Higos, Agua y Amor, " ("Figs, water and love") Trailer. |
 Camino Skies. 2019, 1h 20min, Documentary. Directors: Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth. Camino Skies documents the journey of six pilgrims from New Zealand and Australia who embark on the historic 800-km Spanish pilgrimage. Camino Skies is an uplifting film about learning to live with grief. In the face of overwhelming odds, the Camino forces the group to defy their age and physical ability as they each come to terms with recent loss. Heart-breaking and inspirational, Camino Skies is a story about everyday people doing the extraordinary. Website. IMDB. |
 Dream of the Way: Part 1 — Prelude. 2010, 1h 46min, Documentary. Director: Erlendur Sveinsson. Thor Vilhjálmsson, the dean of Icelandic writers, one of the pioneers of modern literature in Iceland, makes a dream of some 40 years come true when, at the age of 80, he starts his pilgrim walk along the Way of Saint James in the year 2005. He is eager to know what will happen to himself within when he encounters the way, his fellow pilgrims from many countries and the inhabitants of the various regions along the way. Icelandic medieval texts originated in the world of the way come alive so to speak when walking and in various places he even walks into, texts, scenes and sets from his own novels. One central theme is said to characterise Mr. Vilhjálmsson's writing, the journey. Therefore, in his case, it is easy for him to accept the truth of an old observation that the Pilgrim's Way symbolize Life.
Before he embarked on his journey he made an agreement with his worried friend, the well known composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson, that he would send him SMS messages every now and then to ease his mind but he forbids Atli to answer the messages. Atli’s reaction to this is “to answer him” in music and that music would form the films' score. Dream of the Way: Part 2 — Heritage. 2011, 1h 47min, Documentary. Director: Erlendur Sveinsson. |
 I'll Push You. 2017, 1h 40min, Documentary. Directors: Chris Karcher and Terry Parish. Friendship takes on new meaning in this true story of Justin and Patrick, born less than two days apart in the same hospital. Best friends their whole lives, when Justin was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease that robbed him of the use of his arms and legs, Patrick was there. Determined to live life to the fullest, the friends refused to give into despair or let physical limitations control what was possible for Justin.
So when Justin heard about the Camino de Santiago, he wondered aloud to Patrick whether the two of them could ever do it. Patrick’s immediate response was: “I’ll push you.” IMDB. Website. |
 La Voie Lacteé (The Milky Way). 1969, 1h 45min, Comedy, Drama. Director: Luís Buñuel. Jean (Laurent Terzieff) and Pierre (Paul Frankeur) are drifters who travel from Paris to Spain on the Camino de Santiago. On the journey, the two men encounter many strangers who debate aspects of Catholic faith as well as heresies that have been rejected by the religion. Their trek defies time as they meet historical figures such as Jesus and the Marquis de Sade. At the end of their trip, Jean and Pierre are left with more questions than answers. IMDB. Wiki. Website. Trailer. |
 Looking for Infinity: El Camino. 2016, 56min, Documentary. Director: Aaron Leaman. Looking for Infinity: El Camino is a voyage along the ancient pilgrimage route. It is an emotionally driven chronicle of a group of people all at turning points in their lives. For the hundreds of thousands of people who walk the route annually, Looking for Infinity will offer the opportunity to share some of the essence of their experience. For those who are curious and who haven't yet walked it, Looking for Infinity will offer insight into what might otherwise seem to be an insurmountable challenge. It offers spiritual and philosophical insight into the Camino. In multiple languages with subtitles in French, Italian, English, Spanish, Greek, Dutch, Chinese, German, Romanian and Bulgarian. IMDB. Website. Trailer. |
 Oh Ye of Little Faith. 2004. Director: Paul Tobey. Paul Tobey is both a renowned film-maker and a pianist. This is evident in his movie with some beautifully composed music. In this film we get sample the stunning scenery along the route of Camino Frances. It also brings us closer to the pilgrims spiritual journey with interviews of some modern day spiritual adventure seekers. |
 Phil's Camino. 2016. 26min. Documentary. Director: Annie O'Neil. An affecting short documentary about a free spirit who wants to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain, while facing Stage 4 cancer in his hometown of Seattle. Told he shouldn't do the walk, he builds his own camino in the forest behind his house and ends up walking the same distance (about 500 miles). IMDB. Website. Trailer. |
 Saint-Jacque… La Mecque. 2005, 1h 50min, Comedy, Drama. Director: Coline Serreau. Clara, Pierre and Claude learn of the death of their mother. Unfortunately the will stipulates that her children will inherit only if they walk the pilgrimage of Saint-Jacques de Compostela from Le Puy-en-Velay together and never separate. The snag is that Clara, Pierre and Claude hate each other as much as they hate walking. Nonetheless they set off. Along the way they travel with other pilgrims — Guy, their guide; Mathilde, a young woman emerging from chemotherapy; Camille, a young girl just graduated from high school and her friend Elsa; Said, a high school student in love with Camille; Ramzi and his cousin, the latter of whom thinks he is on his way to Mecca. IMDB. Wiki. Website. Trailer. |
 Something Grand. 2012, 26min, Documentary. Director: Matthew Anderson. Pilgrim and professor Matthew Anderson follows pilgrims setting out over the Pyranees westward on the 800-km trek from France toward Santiago de Compostela. Filmmaker Anderson simply asks them one question "Why are you doing this?" The answers — from soulful to skeptical — turn out to be as complex and colorful as the pilgrims themselves. Website. Trailer. |
 Strangers on the Earth. 2017, 1h 30min, Documentary, Director: Tristan Cook. Scores of pilgrims follow an ancient path in search of meaning and personal truth. One carries a cello, unraveling his relationship with music through performances of Bach. A tapestry of pilgrim narratives, Strangers on the Earth explores the physical, social and spiritual aspects of pilgrimage along the Camino. IMBD. Trailer. |
 Tres en el Camino (Within the Way Without). 2004, 2h 27min, Drama. Director: Larry Boulting. The story tells the journey of three individuals; one lonely man from Holland, a Japanese poet and a strong Brazilian girl. Each character is walking the Camino in different seasons of the year and for different reasons. The journey affects each of them each in a unique way. This film has recently been made available to watch on YouTube. YouTube in original languages (Portuguese, Chinese, English) with Spanish subtitles. Vimeo in original languages (Portuguese, Chinese, English) with Spanish subtitles. |
Rev 4/21/19
 Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago. 2013, 1 h 24min, Adventure, Documentary. Director and producer: Lydia Smith. Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago follows various pilgrims, from ages three to 73, as they attempt to walk the Camino-with only a backpack, a pair of boots and an open mind. Driven by an inexplicable calling and a grand sense of adventure, each pilgrim throws themselves heart and soul into their physical trek to Santiago, and most importantly, their personal journey to themselves. Whatever their motivation, no on can predict just how their paths will unfold, what personal demons or angels they will face or what transformations they will undergo by trail's end. Called "A brilliant documentary" by Martin Sheen. IMDB. Website. Trailer. |
 The Way. 2010, 2h 3min, Adventure, Comedy, Drama. Director: Emilio Estevez. A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the Camino de Santiago, and decides to take the pilgrimage himself. This is arguably the film that brought the Camino to the attention of the United States. IMDB. Wiki. Website. Trailer. |
 The Way of Saint James. 2011, 1h 45min, Documentary. Director: Manuele Mandolesi. Over the Way of St. James - the Camino de Santiago - this documentary follows the journey of several pilgrims who differ in culture and religious faith, united only by a mysterious attraction towards the same spiritual destination. The film takes on a journey concrete, mystical and metaphorical, in alternation between past and present, between history and legend. English narration with dialogue in French, Spanish and Italian; subtitled in English. |
Rev 11/02/19