Sioux Holy Man, Black Elk said, "The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes from within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe…and that its center is within each of us." Lydia Smith's documentary Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago follows six pilgrims from different parts of the world in their attempt to discover that center. The 500-mile trek to Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain has been undertaken in the past by St. Francis of Assisi, Charlemagne, Ferdinand and Isabella, Dante, and Chaucer (and Shirley MacLaine), and has become a big part of Europe's tourist industry with thousands of travelers from every religion and walk of life completing the walk each year.Beginning in St. Jean Pied de Port, France, the path, beautifully photographed by cinematographer Pedro Valenzuela, crosses cities, small villages where cows meander in the center of the road, highways, mountains, and fields en route to Santiago. Wayne is an Episcopal priest from Canada who is undertaking the journey with his friend Jack to pay tribute to his wife who died four years ago. Sam has battled with clinical depression and looks to the trek to discover a renewed sense of self. Annie is an American who develops tendinitis and is forced to slow down, a welcome opportunity for reflection. Tatiana from France has brought along her three year old son Cyrian "to learn many things that he couldn't at home." The boy's presence strains an existing family relationship with her brother Alexis, however. During the walk, a tentative friendship blossoms into a relationship between Misa and William. "I'm just trying not to figure out why. I'm just supposed to enjoy it," she says. Tomás, from Portugal, like many others, has to deal with foot blisters, a painful knee injury, and changes in the weather that slow the trek. With everything stripped away, they rediscover their ability to transform their life. "The mask disappears, and you transform into yourself," one man says. All struggle to some degree with physical and emotional difficulties along the way but discover that the profound connection which exists in community becomes stronger when you are hungry or hurt and tired but are determined to keep going together.

This film traces the progress and feelings of a dozen or so people trekking the Camino de Santiago, or Way of St James, to the believed remains of one of Jesus' 12 disciples at the Santiago cathedral. This is an ancient Christian pilgrimage stretching back it seems to at least AD 850. While there are many starting points and routes to Santiago, this film follows people from a range of nationalities, backgrounds, ages and abilities who commence at St Jean Pied de Port in south eastern France, some 800 km from Santiago in north western Spain. We see stunning countryside, intimate moments from those who are suffering, recovering and jubilating from their efforts. The volunteer hostelliers, priests and others they meet along the way enhance the context. The photography makes the film – it is brilliant and without this, the film probably would not have worked. The editing makes the viewer feel the transitions the walkers are experiencing, and must have been a challenge to select the succession of snippets that provide a cohesive narrative. The coda to Finisterre was a masterstroke and ended a well constructed documentary, recommending a high many pilgrims on the route may have overlooked.

My wife and I have driven the Camino back in '93 but I could not walk it so this comment may be skewered a great deal; however, we did start it in Paris and drove as close to the real Camino as we could. I honestly did not want to give it a low vote because both Diane and I expected more from the film. I have often criticised reviewers for saying what I just said,"...expected..." because a viewer does not have the right to believe that a film should follow their cinematic desires. We did not think that the script picked the right people to follow on their journey. We also believed that the ones they did follow were cut off too quickly; those stories were the most interesting and we never heard of what happened to the people again. The camera work was very good, however, and the scenes photographed for the film were superb. However, because it was a documentary we believed that there could be more pedantic information about prices, foods eaten and places taken for sleep if the Camino establishments were full. A film for the thoughtful though.

This was very well done! The photography, the six main people followed, the music, the mood -- all were well-edited, directed, and produced. It shows the full range of the Camino experience: the internal thoughts, the spiritual insights, the physical strains, the solace of nature, the weather, the new friends made, and the sharing with others of all ages and from all countries. In many aspects, I enjoyed this documentary a little bit more than the commendable Camino film "The Way." (I did the last 200 mile portion to Santiago with my two best friends in 2005, and heartily encourage everyone to give it a try...) This film will truly inspire you. Buen Camino!