Northern Lights

In the style of a feature film, this innovative road documentary follows two brothers on their trip to see the Northern Lights and reveals their inability to make contact with one another. The stylized form and serene images are striking, with lots of quiet moments that strengthen the brothers' unexpressed thoughts. Samuel Sears, the older brother, has brain damage and is a difficult person to read -- even his younger brother Simon fails to do so. With their trip to the polar circle, they hope to grow closer together. Their efforts are in vain, though, and the intangible Northern Lights become a symbol for the unattainable love between the two brothers. They have never really spoken to one another. When Simon reveals that he is going to the United States to study, he gets annoyed by Samuel's indifferent reaction and his refusal to come out of his shell. They silently drive north, passing endless rows of conifers and low rays of sunshine, with the camera taking note of their small hand movements. Produced by the National Film School of Denmark, Northern Lights balances stylistically between documentary and feature film, and breaks new ground in the process. The film won the Special Mention Prize at the Nordic Talent festival in 2009.