There have been many “coming-of-age” films, but precious few “coming-of-old-age” films. On Golden Pond might qualify as one lovely exception and this glorious Icelandic film, Children of Nature, another. One obvious reason that there are not more such films is that unlike the teen years, few people live long enough to become nostalgic about earlier years when they were merely in their seventies or eighties. The audience potential is somewhat limited! Children of Nature is also, surprisingly, something of a road odyssey film, in the manner of, say, Bonnie and Clyde or Thelma and Louise, except that here the excursion has the glacial pace of a pilgrimage rather than the adrenaline rush of a crime spree.

The film opens with a 78-year-old man (Gisli Halldorsson) shuttering up the rural farmhouse where he has presumably spent much of his life and wistfully accepting the necessity of moving forward into a new stage of life. He catches a bus to Reykjavik, where his intention is to move in with his grown, married daughter and her family, but it quickly becomes apparent that his presence is disruptive and unwelcome. Soon, he has been shipped off to an old folks’ home. There he encounters the various ignominies associated with mass management of the dependent elderly, but also encounters an elderly woman (Sigridur Hagalin) who had been his first childhood sweetheart. She is rebellious and malcontented. For her, the nursing home is a prison and her one objective escape. Her deepest desire is to return to the remote village of their childhood and to be buried in the small graveyard where her parents lay in wait. The old man, though less openly maladjusted to life in the nursing home, is dismayed by much of what he observes as well as the distress of his old friend. Almost immediately, the two begin plotting their joint deliverance.

Slipping past the guards, the two close their bank accounts, purchase shiny new white sneakers (that contrast dramatically and symbolically with their drab old-persons’ clothing), hot-wire and steal a jeep parked nearby, and embark on their odyssey of final attainment. The journey proceeds into the remote northern reaches of Iceland, through daunting landscapes of poetic proportions. They are helped along the way by old friends and sympathetic local folks but hindered by police blockades and pursuit. At one point of crisis, their quest is even, apparently, facilitated by supernatural forces, which, however, occurs in such a transient and economical way as to seem perfectly natural. The chemistry that emerges between these former sweethearts during their magical journey is palpable and believable -- closer to the love, respect, and intimacy of understanding that exists between old friends than the heated attraction of lovers.

The elderly companions ultimately reach their now-abandoned former home village amid the northwestern fjords. What follows is something akin to that uniquely peculiar mix of profound pain and pleasure that one experiences it final farewells with a loved one near death. The film’s ending, however, is one best not given away; text could only incompletely render it in any case. There is an interesting reference, in this film, to an old film classic, Wings of Desire, when Bruno Ganz briefly reprises his role as an angel.

Director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson is the leading personage in Icelandic film-making. A native of Iceland, born in 1954, Fridriksson’s career began with documentaries, followed by two made-for-TV films. Children of Nature was the second of his feature films, being preceded by White Whales (1987), and followed by Devils Island (1998), Cold Fever (1999), and Angels of the Universe (2000). He has also acted as Producer for several Icelandic films by other directors.

Fridriksson uses a slowly-paced, minimalist style that is ideally suited to the subject matter of Children of Nature. The film seems to move along at the same methodical pace as the aged principals. The feel of the film is reminiscent of a double concerto in which the two soloists play hauntingly mournful but lyrical dialogues with one another against a sweeping and majestic orchestral background that is the spectacular Icelandic landscapes.

Children of Nature has been recognized by numerous awards, including Best Artistic Contribution and The Scandinavian Film Institution Prize at the Montreal Film Festival, a Best Actress of the Year nomination for Sigridur Hagalin, a Henri Langlois de Tours Best Actor Award for Gisli Hallsorson, and an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Film in 1991. It is filmed in Icelandic with English subtitles and has a running time of 85 min. It is appropriate for any viewer age group, though it is likely too slowly-paced to keep most children entertained. Children of Nature, though unpretentious in its style, successfully delivers moments of bittersweet angst as well as a grand epiphany – death as a final state of grace through reunion with nature.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older