STRANGERS ON THE EARTH opens May 4 in New York and June 1 in Los Angeles

STRANGERS ON THE EARTH, a “deeply moving” (NOW Magazine) and “marvelous” (Globe and Mail) documentary film about Europe’s most popular pilgrimage, el Camino de Santiago, debuts in the US after storming across the festival circuit to much acclaim.

Make sure you get your tickets in advance for the opening nights on May 4 in New York and June 1 in Los Angeles (select cities to follow).

23rd of May UPDATE:

Tickets are now available for the June shows in Los Angeles. Tristan Cook will be present for Q&A’s at the following shows:

June 1 @ 7:20pm

June 2 @ 7:20pm

June 3 @ 12pm noon

To book go to laemmle.com/films/43760 

STRANGERS ON THE EARTH – TRAILER

STRANGERS ON THE EARTH dives into the psyches of the myriad intrepid pilgrims who walk the ancient path in search of meaning, notably including Cleveland Orchestra cellist Dane Johansen, who ventured to walk the 600-mile path with his instrument on his back, performing Bach for his fellow travelers along the way. 

STRANGERS ON THE EARTH, a new documentary film about the Camino de Santiago, opens May 4 in New York and June 1 in Los Angeles (select cities to follow).

Director Tristan Cook discussed  the origins of making a film about the Camino and his approach in documenting such a rich subject:

“Just like anyone’s journey to the Camino, making that initial leap into the unknown of making a film takes equal parts bravery, practicality, and madness. In the case of STRANGERS ON THE EARTH, our spark and moment of madness came years before we reached the Camino, with our producer and cellist Dane Johansen having an infectious dream to spread the joy of music along the path with his instrument. As a filmmaker who works often in the performing arts and is obsessed with the limits to which humans will go to achieve physical or spiritual enlightenment, the musician-as-pilgrim idea struck me as a unique starting point for a film.

Once filming was underway, it was incredible how often the Camino itself became a metaphor for the filmmaking process. Stories and angles that we thought were important when we set out became background noise by the time we finished filming weeks later at Finisterre, in much the same way a pilgrim sheds excess stress or pairs of socks as they walk. Similarly, looking at filming on the Camino through a social lens produced interesting analogues: the group of pilgrims with whom you walk at the beginning of your journey often changes dramatically by the end; no different was our cast of characters, which was as varied and colorful as the stained-glass windows of the cathedrals in Burgos or León. As we walked with these many pilgrims and got to know them both on camera and behind the scenes, the universality and spiritual glue of all of these striving individuals combined became the most interesting aspect of the pilgrim’s journey and indeed the chief theme of STRANGERS ON THE EARTH. The Camino teaches you how to simplify your life, just as it taught myself and my crew how to pare down our storytelling to reflect what makes us all alike as human beings just as much as celebrating our differences.

With STRANGERS ON THE EARTH, we have attempted to put the viewer inside the pilgrim’s mind, as he or she faces the rollercoaster of joys and challenges that every person making the trek encounters, both real and intangible. It’s my hope that experienced pilgrims who see the film will recognize this journey as their own and pilgrims who have yet to embark on their first Camino will soon join the universal path toward Santiago.”

Purchase here your tickets  for NYC premiere on the 4th of May 2018 and for Los Angeles show here or follow Strangers on the Earth on social media:

FacebookInstagram @StrangersOnTheEarth – Twitter @SOTEfilm

 

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Ultreya Tours

Ultreya Tours is a incoming Tour Operator specialized in organizing comprehensive and highly personalized walking tours for groups and solo travelers on the Camino de Santiago. Founded and based in Santiago de Compostela, we know the region of Galicia and the secrets of the Camino by heart. Let us introduce you to our vision of the Camino.