By John Corrado

The 2024 Hot Docs Film Festival runs from April 25th to May 5th in Toronto

Maria Gros Vatne and her husband Nik Payne were homeschooling their four kids on a farm in Norway, giving their children a free-range upbringing that included growing their own food and subsisting off the land as much as possible. But when Maria dies of cancer, everything changes, a process that is captured in the heartfelt documentary A New Kind of Wilderness.

Stepdaughter Ronja goes back to live with her birth father, distancing her from younger sister Freja. Nik is no longer able to afford the farm due to not being able to have a full-time job while homeschooling the kids, and is left with the tough decision to move away from their rural home and transition his family into the conventional world that they have tried to avoid.

Directed by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen, A New Kind of Wilderness serves as a moving, beautifully shot portrait of a family in flux. The story is partially told through photographs and passages taken from Maria’s parenting blog, offering glimpses into the pastoral life the family had. In its honest exploration of homeschooling versus traditional education, the film captures the glorious complexities of raising a family in an unconventional way.

Film Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)

A New Kind of Wilderness screens as part of the 2024 Hot Docs Film Festival, more information on tickets and showtimes can be found right here.