Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago (2013) ****

Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, is a heartwarming documentary by Lydia Smith. It is the sort of film that moves slowly and grows on you as you get to know the various protagonists -- pilgrims on the ancient Camino de Santiago trail. Attracting walkers from all over the world (an average of 1000,000 a year from a 100 different countries by some counts,) people of various backgrounds, different reasons to walk and a large range of ages, the month-long, 800km walk, also known as The Way of St. James, serves as a way to explore one’s own soul, be it with or without religious context. The filmmaker wisely avoids commentary and let the travelers, as well as the powerful scenery, do all the talk. We are with them through rain and shine, through days of joy and pitfalls of sorrow, through blisters and brotherhood formed on the long and winding road. Some will find answers, others peace, but all, just by the mere walk, would, one way or another, get transformed. As an audience we share their journey, though for one to be transformed it is not enough to sit and watch: one must walk the walk...