Lena (Risten Anine Gaup) in furtherance of her painting moves from Oslo to her Sámpi birthplace with Jonas her young son. She’s painting female reindeer herders in an abstract and political way. Lena is not exactly given a warm welcome returning to her ancestral home. In her own view as a former reindeer herder who sold her herding license she had been given by her father she has brought shame on her ancestors.
Reindeer are an important part of the Sámi culture. Reindeer herding is a semi-nomadic activity and threatened by economic development including mining and wind farms. Sámi people inhabit Sámpi encompassing large northern parts of Norway, Finland, Sweden and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
Máhtte (Nils Ailu Kemi) is a reindeer herder working for his mother who holds the reindeer herding license. Well a romance develops between Máhtte and Lena thwarting Máhtte’s mother’s dream of marrying his girlfriend Biret and merging both family’s herds. Lena’s mother is not supportive of Lena’s art calling it crap and Máhtte’s mother laments the loss of a possible marriage and merger. A bit of a rocky romance but the love of reindeer saves all!
While the romance thread of the film lacks much innovation the cinematography of the Sámpian winter landscape is marvelous as well as the traditional Sámpian music throughout. Could I summarize the film by saying you’ll be treated to romance, a woman struggling against sexism and traditional cultural norms. There is no clear victory for Lena but rather a compromise most importantly on her own terms. Modern Norway and traditional Sámi culture can co-exist.
“The Tundra Within Me” shows on September 11/13.
Directed by Sara Margrethe Oskal, a former reindeer herder!
You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNwQGF9Gbnc
RKS 2023 Film Rating: 74/100.
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