A New Kind of Wilderness

Photographer Maria lives with her husband Nik, their three children, and Ronja, her daughter from a previous relationship, on a farm at the edge of the forest. They grow their own vegetables and try to shield their children from the hustle and bustle of modern life. They home school them and instil in them a close relationship to nature. The family’s life is one of freedom and love for each other. But when Maria dies of cancer at the age of 41, everything suddenly changes. Not only has Nik lost the woman he loves, he is also confronted by the question of whether their joint dream of a different kind of life can be fulfilled without Maria. Ronja needs some distance and goes to live with her father. Nik needs a job and the children need to go to day care and to school. Director Silje Evensmo Jacobsen followed the family for several years after their loss, evocatively capturing their deep sorrow. With beautiful images, she bears emotional witness to their search for a new life together.