Folktales (2025)

[bunniefuu]

[wood creaking]

[crows cawing]

[wind whooshing]

[birds chirping]

[owl hooting]

[ethereal music playing]

[footsteps approaching]

[ethereal music builds]

Narrator: [in Norwegian]

[uplifting music playing]

Narrator:

[pensive music playing]

Narrator:

[tense music playing]

[excited chatter]

[upbeat rock music

playing over speaker]

- [indistinct chatter]

- [crowd cheering]

[tattoo g*n buzzing]

[pensive music playing]

Hege: [in English]

I think how it is

to be a young woman is chaos.

There is no other word

that fits.

Of course it's chaos.

You're figuring out your life.

- [traffic rumbling]

- [pensive music continues]

Bad b*tches, to the left.

[upbeat music playing

over cellphone]

[indistinct chatter]

Hege: I overthink everything.

Like, I think a lot

of what people think about me.

And... and you get tired of it.

The two last years,

I have a lot on my mind.

My dad was k*lled. [sniffles]

[somber music playing]

Not many people know it.

Not... I don't talk about it.

[grunts softly]

It was like

a smack in your face.

You just see him

walking out the door

and never coming back.

It's so sad to think about.

I have, like, a memory

of me and my dad driving

and seeing a car with dogs

like he was going to train,

like sled-dogging,

and it just stuck.

And, like, just one day,

somebody told me

about Folkehgskole,

and you can do it there.

So, yes.

I can feel it... very much.

It's like a push behind you.

Yes. So, maybe it's him

telling me that I need to go.

[chuckles] Who knows? Who knows?

[birds chirping]

Hege's Mom: [in Norwegian]

[groans]

- [chuckles]

- [Hege groans, exhales]

[Hege grunts softly]

Hege:

Mm.

Hege:

[dogs howling, barking

over cellphone]

- [mystical music playing]

- [dogs barking, howling]

- [wind whooshing]

- [huffs]

[dogs panting]

- [tense music playing]

- [seagulls cawing]

- [mystical folk music playing]

- [birds chirping]

[indistinct chatter]

[chuckles]

[birds chirping]

[bees buzzing]

[indistinct chatter]

- [screams]

- [students scream]

[students chuckle nervously]

[mystical music builds]

Ketil: [in English]

We are so glad to see you here,

all of you students.

Welcome to Pasvik Folkehgskole

and to this Folkehgskole year.

We are a small school,

but we have had students

from all over the world.

It's a lot more than a gap year.

We want our students

to develop themselves,

try to find

a new version of yourself.

Welcome.

Photographer:

Perfect. That's it.

[music concludes]

[cellphone buzzing]

[in Norwegian]

[muffled chatter over phone]

Hmm.

[in English] My dad asked me

to not be so annoying

to, like, everybody.

But... [scoffs]

Not start quarreling.

Mostly that. [sniffs]

I think, like,

I'm nice, but then again,

I'm kind of annoying. [chuckles]

Yeah, I think that's how

people would describe me.

Yeah, I know they do.

They tell me

all the time. [chuckles]

So, I don't have

a lot of friends.

I find the thought

of, like, finding friends

and keeping friends

especially hard.

I am afraid

for being lonely another year.

Being an outsider.

- [brooding music playing]

- [indistinct chatter]

[students laughing]

- [cutlery clinking]

- [indistinct chatter]

[indistinct chatter]

[music concludes]

[crickets chirping]

[cellphone ringing]

[tense music playing]

- [cellphone chimes]

- [indistinct chatter]

Iselin: Okay, good morning!

I'm always a little bit nervous

when it's my first word

of the day.

Today I'm going to talk

about the brain.

We live now in a modern world.

Things are going quite fast,

but we still have the same brain

as we had 10,000 years ago.

So, what happens

when our 10,000-year-old brain

meets this, the modern world?

The life and environment

we have now

is quite confusing

for our brain.

The screens everywhere,

the phones

around you all the time,

and we feel alone.

[pensive music playing]

Iselin: When you think about

how people were living

10,000 years ago,

they were out hunting,

gathering, sleeping outside.

So, this year we really hope

that we can wake up

your Stone Age brain.

[mystical folk music playing]

- [music concludes]

- [birds chirping]

- I heard the birds just now.

- Student 1: Yeah?

[bird chittering]

[whispers] I can hear it.

[whispers] I don't know

which bird it is.

Romain: [whispers] Me either.

[dogs whining, barking]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

- [imitates dog whining]

- [students chuckling]

[exclaims]

Iselin: [in English]

Okay, so, you will very soon

be responsible for taking care

of the dogs in our dog yard.

[pants]

Iselin: In this dog yard,

you will see that we have

a lot of different

personalities.

Some are a bit shy.

Some are old and calm.

Some are young

and very energetic.

And we want you

to pay attention to that

while we're walking around.

- So, this is Odin, Unka.

- [dogs barking]

Iselin: They are

Siberian Huskies.

We got them from Russia,

five, six years ago,

and they have

the most beautiful voices.

- [imitates dog howling]

- [dogs howling]

- [Iselin imitates dog howling]

- [howls, barks]

- [Iselin imitates dog howling]

- [howls, barks]

- [Iselin imitates dog howling]

- [howls, barks]

[students chuckling]

- [whimpers, barks]

- Iselin: His name is Billy.

And you can see

he is very energetic.

So, he's not afraid of people.

He's also very eager to pull.

- [pants]

- Iselin: And he is quite smart.

He's just not so good

at showing it.

[Billy whines, yelps]

Iselin: Okay, we'll move on

to Dia.

It's short for Diamant.

"Diamond." She's a bit shy.

Probably, you will need

to go up here

two or three or four days

before she feels safe.

Dia, Dia, Dia.

Okay, Dia.

Thor-Atle: Dia, Dia, Dia.

If you sit

on the small step there...

- Yeah?

- Thor-Atle: Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Try. And try...

Just sit there a little bit.

Yeah. Try to call her name.

- [pants, howls]

- Thor-Atle: Dia.

- Dia.

- [pants]

- [barks, pants]

- Thor-Atle: Very good, Romain.

- [dogs barking]

- [gentle music playing]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

- [indistinct chatter]

- [equipment clanging]

Iselin: [in English]

Just take it all the way out.

And then you have this knot

that you make

with holding it like this,

and then turning once,

and twice,

and then putting it in.

And then you remember

how to take in the rope?

[sighs]

- Mm?

- Not really.

Wait, is it normal

to do it with one hand?

- Iselin: Yeah.

- Okay, well...

[exhales]

[brooding music playing]

Romain: I'm not really

a confident person, and...

I struggle with it.

The first thing I will think

is always going to be

negative and scared.

I don't know

what to do about it.

I dropped out of high school.

I just couldn't do it.

Each year

gradually got harder for me

'cause I just couldn't focus,

and I felt like it was

not something I really wanted.

I was like,

"Why is it not working?"

"Why can I not do this?"

"What's happening?"

And so I was like,

"Maybe it's because I need

some different type

of life path."

I've never done

anything like this before.

I didn't have a lot of time

to think about it.

And so, yeah.

So far,

I don't really regret it.

- [ethereal music playing]

- [birds chirping]

Romain: I hope to overcome

social anxiety,

stuff like that.

- [waves crashing]

- [seagulls squawking]

[indistinct chatter]

Kai's Mom: [over phone]

Hi, baby!

Kai: [in Spanish]

[in French]

[chuckles]

- [uplifting music playing]

- [students tap rhythmically]

[students cheer]

Leah's Dad: [in German]

Kai's Dad: [in Spanish]

Kai:

Kai's Mom: [over phone]

[chuckles]

Thor-Atle: [in English]

Hear, King Neptune!

Students: Hear, King Neptune!

For all the years

that has passed...

Students: For all the years

that has passed...

...and all the years

that is to become...

Students: ...and all the years

that is to become...

...we the people from...

Students:

...we the people from...

...Pasvik People High School...

Students:

...Pasvik People High School...

...will baptize

ourselves in the Barents Sea!

Students: ...will baptize

ourselves in the Barents Sea!

- Swim! [exclaims]

- [students cheer]

- [students laughing]

- [excited chatter]

[birds chirping]

[dogs howling]

[Hege groaning, whining]

Amelie: [in Norwegian]

Hege:

[indistinct chatter]

[in English] It's bear safe.

[in Norwegian]

[chuckles]

[groans]

- [firewood crackling]

- [cellphone ringing]

Kristin: [over phone]

Hege:

Hege:

Hege:

Kristin:

[cellphone chimes]

[mystical folk music playing]

- [thunder cracking]

- [raindrops pattering]

[indistinct chatter]

- [Sautso panting]

- Hege: Whoa, whoa!

Romain: [in English]

Is there just one day

where we don't have

to get wet shoes?

- Hege: Sautso.

- [whimpers]

Zuzanna: [in Norwegian]

Hege:

[pants]

Hege:

Oh!

[firewood crackling]

Felix:

Hege's Grandpa:

[over phone]

Hege:

Hege's Grandpa: [over phone]

Hege's Grandpa:

[sobbing]

Hege's Grandpa:

[groans]

[sobbing]

Hege's Grandpa:

Hege's Grandpa:

[dogs howling, barking]

Bjrn Tore:

[Billy barking]

[dogs barking, whining]

[whines, huffs]

- [grunts]

- [Billy whimpers]

Bjrn Tore:

Amelie:

[dogs barking]

[somber music playing]

Bjrn Tore:

Iselin: [in English]

It's okay to make mistakes,

but we need to be safe.

You are responsible

for another living creature,

an animal, a dog,

or several dogs.

We are not here as individuals,

we are part of a bigger group.

So, we need to

make an environment

where we can trust each other

and you will be prepared,

you will be focused,

and you will be in the moment.

[dogs whining, barking]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

- [dog howling, barking]

- [upbeat music playing]

[howls]

- [imitates dog howling]

- [howls]

- [howls]

- [kisses]

[dogs barking]

Hege:

[dog whimpers]

- [music stops]

- [wind howling]

[ethereal music playing]

[puppies whimpering]

Narrator:

[mystical music playing]

Narrator:

- [music concludes]

- [wind whooshing]

[dogs howling, barking]

Thor-Atle:

Bjrn Tore: [in English]

Romain...

you know what I like

about Billy?

What you like?

Bjrn Tore:

What I like about Billy.

Well, what is there

not to like about Billy?

Tell me.

Like, I prefer Billy

over Mjd...

- Yeah.

- ...because Billy,

he seems more social.

- Yeah...

- Mjd is like,

- "Ah, just give me the rubs."

- Yeah.

Billy is like,

"Hey, come to talk to me."

"Come to talk to me,

I like talking." [chuckles]

[dogs barking]

Thor-Atle: In the beginning,

the students think

it's all about the dogs.

So, we use the dogs.

We use this beautiful

and tough nature.

We use the team.

[barks]

Thor-Atle: But the dogs

are just a method.

[pensive music playing]

Thor-Atle: Of course,

we have a higher goal.

The higher goal

is a human being.

The dogs teach us

to be more human,

maybe more patient.

And we might pay attention

to others even more.

And I think that

when the students

discover this part

of dog mushing,

it becomes so much bigger.

- [inquisitive music playing]

- [dogs howling, barking]

[dogs panting]

[dogs barking]

[dogs panting]

[in Norwegian]

- [yelps]

- [laughs]

Student 2: [in English]

Spoke too soon.

Iselin: Don't brake,

don't brake!

[dogs whimpering]

Iselin: And you can just

brake a little

around the curve,

but not like hard braking,

because then you're going

to slam into something.

Student 2: [in Norwegian]

- [yelps]

- [Hege groans]

[in English]

So, later this winter,

we will drive downhill.

So, we take it

step by step, yeah.

[in Norwegian]

- [birds chirping]

- [perky music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[students laughing]

Hege's Friend 1:

Hege's Friend 2:

[group singing in Norwegian]

[laughing]

- [blows air]

- [friends cheering]

[power tool buzzing]

[welder sizzles]

[creaking]

[indistinct speech in Norwegian]

Vegard:

Students:

Vegard:

[in English]

One, two, three, and four.

It's a half turn. Five, and six.

[claps rhythmically] Walk, walk.

[claps rhythmically]

Triple step, triple step. Walk.

- [cutlery clinking]

- [music fades]

[David sighs]

[in Norwegian]

David:

David:

David:

David:

David:

David:

David:

David:

[chuckles]

[David chuckles softly]

Bjrn Tore's Dad: [over phone]

Bjrn Tore:

Bjrn Tore's Dad:

Bjrn Tore:

Bjrn Tore's Dad:

Bjrn Tore:

Bjrn Tore's Dad:

Bjrn Tore:

Bjrn Tore's Dad:

[chuckles]

[wind whooshing]

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

Whoo!

Iselin:

Romain:

Iselin:

- [indistinct chatter]

- [dogs barking]

Thor-Atle: [in English]

Why don't you wear gloves?

Romain: I have gloves.

I don't need them now.

Thor-Atle: You don't need them?

Romain: Not yet.

Thor-Atle:

You just wait and see.

- Yeah, I have them here.

- [Thor-Atle chuckles]

I'll put them on

if we're cold, thanks.

[dogs barking, howling]

[gentle flute music playing]

[dogs panting]

Hege: Come here, Sautso.

My favorite dog.

Zuzanna: Adorable.

- Hege: And you're adorable too.

- [music concludes]

- [kisses]

- [Sautso licking]

[wind howling]

Iselin: So, now you had

two ropes, didn't you?

- Two small ropes?

- Romain: Yeah.

[firewood crackling]

Iselin: Mm-hmm.

Romain: Nice.

Now, I think it's quite stable.

- Romain: Cool.

- Iselin: Uh-huh.

So, now you have to make

a nice bed.

And these ones

will be really nice

- also to make a bed for Mjd.

- Romain: Ah.

Then it will be more comfortable

for her as well.

Okay.

- Romain: I'm gonna get to work.

- Iselin: Yes, good.

[dramatic folk music playing]

[music fades]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

Romain:

Thor-Atle:

- Romain:

- Thor-Atle:

Romain:

Thor-Atle: [in English]

You have to make

your own hot water.

You must melt snow.

Romain: Yeah,

I don't have a fire.

I will make fire tomorrow.

[wind howling]

[wind whooshing]

- [firewood crackling]

- [owl hooting]

Hege: My fire was sh*t.

So, I need to work

on that today.

Romain: When I got up,

everything collapsed

because it started

to snow like crazy.

- Everything is covered in snow.

- Hege: Mm-hmm.

And I... I'm losing

my mind. [chuckles]

Yeah, it's...

a little bit difficult.

Thor-Atle:

It is a lot of work...

to keep the fire alive,

to bring the wood,

to do everything

you need to do to collect snow,

make food,

there's always something to do.

And it is a lot of work,

and you will get sweaty.

There's no way out of that.

[wind howling]

[indistinct chatter]

Romain: Can I boil snow?

Thor-Atle: No, not now.

You need to go

to your own camp now. Yeah.

Romain: But I don't have water,

how am I gonna do it?

Same way

as every other student does it.

Romain: [chuckling]

What if I can't make the fire?

[chuckles] Yeah.

With this, you know what

attitude instilling...

You know what

that is, instilling?

- Iselin: Mindset.

- Thor-Atle: Mindset.

- Oh, okay.

- Thor-Atle: Yeah.

Yeah, so I have

the wrong mindset.

I said a lot of times

I can't do this...

- Iselin: Uh-huh.

- ...but somehow I still got

- convinced to do this anyway.

- Iselin: Yeah.

Thor-Atle:

We think you can do it.

- We really think you can do it.

- "We think you..." What?

Do you think

or do you want me to do it?

Thor-Atle: I want you to do it.

- Yeah?

- Thor-Atle: And I think

- you can do it.

- Iselin: Yeah.

Okay.

Iselin: If we just say, "Yeah,

you can use our fire now,"

then we're actually

not helping you.

Thor-Atle: If you fall off

the sled in the wintertime...

- Romain: Mm-hmm.

- ...and it's 30 below up here,

we know

that you can attack a tree...

- Romain: Yeah. Hmm.

- ...survive with the fire

until we pick you up.

- Yeah.

- Thor-Atle: Yeah.

That's why it's

so damn important to do it.

Yeah. Hmm. Hmm.

[Thor-Atle humming]

[wood cracking]

[in Norwegian]

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

[inquisitive music playing]

[twigs snapping]

[music concludes]

Iselin:

[Thor-Atle imitates dog howling]

[dogs howling in the distance]

- [Iselin laughing]

- [Thor-Atle chuckles]

- Iselin:

- Thor-Atle:

Hege:

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

- Thor-Atle:

- [gentle music playing]

Thor-Atle:

[wind whooshing]

Thor-Atle: [in English]

Look at that fireplace, Romain.

- Romain: Yeah.

- Thor-Atle: You did it.

High-five. [chuckles]

- Iselin: Mm-hmm.

- Thor-Atle: Yeah.

Iselin: Hmm. You're heading

for the second night.

Is she trying to get

into your sleeping bag?

- Yeah, a little bit.

- Iselin: Yeah. [chuckles]

- She's like a guard dog.

- She's really cool.

- Yeah.

- Hmm.

Yeah, I think she will

stay close during the night.

- Yeah.

- Iselin: Hmm.

Romain: Sorry for, like,

I don't know, being emotional.

But is it something wrong

in being emotional?

Romain: I don't know.

I feel like if I make

someone uncomfortable,

it's wrong.

Iselin: I was not uncomfortable.

- Romain: Okay.

- Iselin: Mm-hmm.

And I actually think

it's a good thing

- to be emotional.

- Romain: Yeah.

Iselin: It's much better

to actually show your feelings

than hiding them.

Hmm, yeah.

Iselin: So, don't feel sorry

for being emotional.

I still think

it might have been a step

too far, this whole trip, but...

- that's just my honest opinion.

- Iselin: Yeah?

- Yeah.

- Iselin: But you're here?

- I'm here.

- Iselin: You're warm?

- You're taking care of the dog?

- Mm-hmm.

- Iselin: You have eaten?

- I have eaten.

Iselin: Enjoying some

chocolate now?

- Yeah.

- Iselin: Yeah?

Made yourself a nice bed?

- Yeah, I have.

- Iselin: Mm-hmm.

Thor-Atle: Yeah, and try

to fall in love with your hat

when we go.

- To what?

- [Iselin chuckles]

Thor-Atle: Fall in love

with your hat.

- I will fall in love.

- Thor-Atle: I really mean that.

- Put it on. [chuckles]

- Iselin: Uh-huh.

- Enjoy your night, Romain.

- Thor-Atle: Yes.

- Iselin: Good night.

- Thor-Atle: Bye!

Don't forget your hat now!

[all chuckle]

[gentle music playing]

- [wind whooshing]

- [birds chirping]

[Iselin whistles, chuckles]

[uplifting music playing]

[yaps]

[murmurs in Norwegian]

[chuckles]

[dogs howling, barking]

Bjrn Tore:

[Billy whines]

[whines]

[pants]

[music fades]

[firewood crackling]

Bjrn Tore: [in English] Lately,

I've been, like, struggling

inside my own bubble.

And in a lot of ways,

you feel relatively powerless.

I've always been like that.

I remember in fourth grade,

my dad invited me up

to watch TV with him

and my mom.

And it's a show showing planets

and stuff like that.

And then they start

to talk about the sun.

And learning that the sun

would... it will die...

terrified me.

Because how...

how could you live

without the sun?

I ran out of the living room

and sat down on the floor

beside the bathroom

and started crying.

That was my reaction

to learning that the sun

would die. [chuckles]

And my father then said that...

I would be dead

long before the sun.

It really didn't help me.

You know, my father's really bad

at trying to comfort me.

So, yeah, that was a...

That was a tough lesson.

[chuckles]

That everybody is going to die

and the sun even

is going to die.

Although it seems so eternal.

[wind whooshing]

[chirps]

[twig snapping]

[snow sizzling]

[grunts softly]

Hege: Are you just

practicing campfire?

- Romain: Yeah.

- Hmm.

Romain: Do you think

it will-- Hege?

- Hmm?

- Romain: Do you think

it will burn?

Hege: We need to get,

like, big sticks.

Romain: We need

big sticks again.

And I lost my saw.

Hege: Oh, but you can use

your axe.

Can I use that to like...

[imitates wind whooshing]

- Romain: Sure.

- Hege: Mm-hmm.

And give me that as well.

Oh, yeah,

that's pretty smart actually.

[wind whooshing]

You literally just

mansplained everything to me.

- [chuckles]

- Hege: No, I didn't mansplain.

I'm not the mansplainer.

[grunts] You remember

Iselin telling us

that we need

to take a rope with us?

Because then you can take

the higher ones.

- Romain: Yeah.

- And then you can just...

- Romain: Yes.

- Then you get big sticks.

Yeah. Hey.

Romain: How are you

so good at everything?

Hege: No, I'm not.

Did you hear I fall often

when we were sledding?

- Romain: I did as well.

- Yeah.

Then we were both the same.

Romain: [chuckles] Nah.

So, if I'm good

at sledding, you're too.

Romain: Mm-hmm. Wow. [scoffs]

I wish I had

that mindset as well.

But that's life.

If everything was

going your way...

where do you think

you would be in life?

But I feel like nothing

is going my way right now.

Same.

But still I'm here

and I'm having a great time.

Hmm.

I don't know how to, like, talk.

I always feel like

I say the wrong things.

- Or, like, if I talk...

- No.

...I'm annoying,

and if I don't talk, I'm boring.

And it's just...

It's an endless battle, really.

And it's pointless.

Hege: So, fake it

till you make it.

Yeah?

Hege: I would never

recognize myself...

like, three, four months ago.

And now I'm here.

[firewood crackling]

Hege: This is an amazing fire.

You're getting good at this.

Aw, thank you. [chuckles]

[indistinct chatter]

[students laughing]

Sanna: [in Norwegian]

[students giggling]

Hmm. [snorts]

[chuckles]

Amelie:

Sanna:

[students giggling]

[sprayer hissing]

- [excited chatter]

- [upbeat music playing]

[students screaming, laughing]

[crowd cheering, applauding]

[barks, whines]

[dogs panting]

[dog barking]

- [students cheering, laughing]

- [indistinct chatter]

[music concludes]

[in English]

It was painful, the sledding,

because you have to brake,

and you have to crash,

and you have to stay

on a sled whilst braking

- and not crashing...

- Yeah, it's like...

...and falling down.

That was like...

[imitates expl*si*n]

It's so strange.

Yeah, it's... it's tough.

It was fun though.

It feels scary

when you lose control.

Yeah, often it does.

I think most people

like to have...

- Yeah.

- ...at least somewhat control

over what they're doing.

[upbeat drum playing]

- [drumsticks clacking]

- [drum beating]

Romain: I'm having a hard time.

Sometimes I do think, like,

"Oh, my God,

do I really belong here?"

And "Was this a mistake?"

[mystical music playing]

[crickets chirping]

Romain: I read this quote

that said,

"The cure to loneliness

is solitude."

That's actually true.

And if you don't engage

that much, you don't...

really get disappointed.

[dogs barking in the distance]

[music fades]

[wind howling]

[dogs barking]

[pensive music playing]

Bjrn Tore: [in Norwegian]

[music concludes]

Bjrn Tore:

[ethereal music playing]

Narrator:

[leaves rustling]

Narrator:

[wind whooshing]

Narrator:

[music fades]

[dogs barking]

Hege:

[kisses]

- [kisses]

- [whines]

Hege: [in English]

He was running, like,

two weeks ago, and now,

he's gotten

really sick very fast.

On his back, he gets cancer.

[sighs] I'm sorry, baby.

[in Norwegian]

Iselin:

- [solemn music playing]

- [dogs barking]

[Sautso whining softly]

Hege: [in English]

He's a very beautiful dog.

[breathes sharply]

He has a good life here,

I think.

[sniffles, sobs softly]

But yeah.

[sniffles]

It's very sad.

[sniffles, swallows]

I feel always

I have the bad luck.

I think he's tired now.

I think he wants to sleep now.

- [music fades]

- [dogs barking, howling]

[melancholic flute playing]

Hege: When my father died,

he was 48.

He got in, like,

an argument with a man.

And the argument was done,

and he turned his back,

and then they hit him

in the head

three times back here.

So, the second one was...

that k*lled him.

[sobbing] I think

he would love being here.

My dad, I... He was kind of like

a nature guy

kind of man... [sniffles]

...and it's very nice

just getting to know him again.

Almost, I don't know.

And I'm very bad.

I feel so bad all the time

'cause I don't think

about him enough.

I... I feel like

my dad was a party,

and I think when I'm happy,

I think about him.

Life is not sad,

life is supposed to be fun.

[music concludes]

- [dogs panting]

- [gentle music playing]

Hege: When I stand

on the sled...

I feel so light.

I think it activates something

in my brain.

[dogs panting]

It's so quiet...

and it's just...

the best sound ever.

- Whoo! [chuckles, exclaims]

- [students laughing]

[speaks indistinctly]

I never have my phone anymore.

Why should I be on my phone

when I'm here?

Just being with the dogs

makes you so happy,

and you don't feel lonely.

[dogs barking, whining]

[motor whirring]

[engines revving]

[melodic horn playing]

[indistinct chatter]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

Students:

- [mystical music playing]

- [birds chirping]

Romain: [in English]

I kind of quit.

I wasn't intending

on coming back.

It was kind of stressful,

like a roller coaster, I guess.

- [mellow guitar playing]

- [group singing in Norwegian]

Romain: [in English]

I missed Norway.

Back home, I didn't think

about all the negative stuff.

I would just think about

the things that I like here.

I saw everyone going

to their miserable jobs,

and trying to impress people

they don't know,

or even care about.

And I was like,

"Oh, what am I doing here?"

"I wanna go back."

I'm definitely gonna

give this one a chance.

- [dramatic folk music playing]

- [breathes deeply, echoes]

[students cheering, screaming]

- [laughs]

- Whoo!

[students cheering, screaming]

Student 3: Hurry up, Romain!

You can do it!

Student 4: All right, hold on.

You got this.

You can do it.

Student 5:

Don't touch the water.

Just go for it. You can do this.

Student 4:

You can do it, Romain!

Good job, Romain!

[students cheering, applauding]

[cheering continues]

[wind howling]

[suspenseful music playing]

Instructor 2: [in Norwegian]

Bjrn Tore: [in English]

[indistinct chatter]

Bjrn Tore: I think

I want to do,

- "My fantastic gloves." Like...

- Yeah.

"I've tried these gloves

for a week,

- and I've never frozen since."

- Yeah.

Like, "I'm happy,

I'm satisfied."

Yeah, yeah.

But should that be, like,

another person,

or should it be the same person,

like a week later,

- when he has the gloves?

- Well, like you say,

if I'm doing, like,

the promotion...

Mm-hmm.

...then you could be

the customer, you know?

So, you're the B-roll,

and I'm the A-roll in this case.

Romain: Yeah.

[birds chirping]

Bjrn Tore: Can we do, like,

my monologue first though?

Romain: Yeah, sure. Yeah.

Bjrn Tore: Do you struggle

with unbearable,

freezing temperatures?

Are you unable to use your phone

without exposing your hands?

Luckily, there's a solution.

Thanks to a brilliant mind

of outdoor research,

these gloves are now

on your hands.

- Do you struggle with un...

- Romain: Wait, wait.

- I wasn't ready, sorry.

- Bjrn Tore: Oh, okay.

I thought

we were just filming. [chuckles]

Romain: These gloves suck.

[both laugh]

Bjrn Tore:

That's definitely going to be

on the end. [laughs]

That's so going to be

on the end.

Today is the best day.

[uplifting music playing]

Bjrn Tore: My relation

with Romain is that

I found him amusing

to hang with,

and I could relate

to some of his points of view.

So, I found it kind of natural

to just hang with him.

Romain: I think

Bjrn Tore is really kind.

[indistinct chatter]

Romain: I guess we kind of have,

like, the same humor.

He doesn't care

what other people

think about him that much.

I think my wish is that

I can, like, think like that.

[crowd cheering, applauding]

[puppies whining]

[motors revving]

[reindeer groaning, grunting]

[indistinct chatter]

[bells ringing]

[reindeer grunting]

[reindeer grunting]

[Bjrn Tore whooping, grunting]

[dogs yapping, barking]

Hege: [in Norwegian]

[sniffles]

[dogs whining]

Thor-Atle:

- Hege:

- Thor-Atle:

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

Hilde:

Thor-Atle:

Iselin:

Thor-Atle:

[overlapping chatter]

[indistinct chatter]

Thor-Atle: [in English]

Romain, are you up there

in the eagle's tower?

- Romain: Yeah.

- Thor-Atle: Yes. [chuckles]

The hill is very steep,

I heard from Bjrn Tore.

- Iselin: Yeah, but it's fun.

- Romain: Yeah, it is.

Iselin: Yeah, so,

it's a little bit...

- it's a fun steep hill.

- Romain: Yeah.

And your body is strong enough.

- Yes.

- Iselin: Yeah. Okay.

Well, thank you.

Iselin: Then we meet

in the dog yard

- at ten o'clock tomorrow.

- Yeah.

- [upbeat folk music playing]

- [dogs barking]

- [growls]

- [whines, pants]

- [nervously] What if I fall?

- Then when the dog stops,

yeah, hopefully, they will stop,

because it's so heavy,

like this,

and then you just quickly.

- [grunts, laughs]

- [indistinct chatter]

Student 6: [in Norwegian]

- [dogs howling, barking]

- [dramatic music playing]

- Thor-Atle: Romain!

- Romain: Thanks.

[tense music playing]

[breathes heavily]

[grunts, in English] f*ck.

- [indistinct chatter]

- Good save.

[in Norwegian, laughs]

[dogs panting, barking]

Iselin: [in English]

Just hold the break now, Romain.

Romain: But I didn't know that

the dogs were gonna stop.

[sighs]

Iselin: [in Norwegian]

[in English] Seriously,

there's no danger of falling,

but then you just need

to get back up again.

[breathes heavily]

- [in Norwegian]

- [uplifting music playing]

[dogs panting]

Romain: [in English]

Oh, my God, moose!

Iselin: [in Norwegian]

[in English] Holy sh*t!

It's a baby, I think.

There's a smaller one.

Iselin: Yeah, mother and a calf.

Have you seen it before?

- Romain: First time ever.

- First time ever now?

- Yes, that's why I'm so happy.

- Iselin: Wow! Wow!

- [cheers] This is fun, yeah.

- Iselin: Yeah?

- You're enjoying it?

- Yeah.

- [chuckles]

- Iselin: Yeah?

I can see that you have

your shoulders down much more.

[dogs panting]

["Clair de Lune"

by Flight Facilities playing]

If I would know you

Would you know me?

- [song concludes]

- [birds chirping]

Thor-Atle: [in Norwegian]

[students laughing]

Thor-Atle:

[gentle music playing]

[students applauding]

- [crowd applauding]

- Ketil:

[crowd laughing, applauding]

Ketil:

- [soft poignant music playing]

- Ketil:

- [laughs] Oh!

- [crowd applauding]

- Ketil:

- [crowd applauding]

Iselin:

[crowd applauding]

- [indistinct chatter]

- [soft acoustic music playing]

- [singers singing in Norwegian]

- [crowd singing in Norwegian]

[crowd cheering, applauding]

Ketil:

[crowd laughing]

Bjrn Tore:

[laughter]

Romain's Mom: [in Dutch]

Romain's Mom:

Romain's Mom:

[Romain sobs softly]

[coughs]

Romain:

[breathes shakily]

Romain: Yeah.

Yeah.

[grunts softly]

- Romain's Mom:

- [Romain sobbing]

[in English]

Don't forget what I told you.

Romain: [chuckles]

I will remember.

Turn around and do this,

if you have the voice.

- Romain: Yeah. I can do it.

- k*ll it.

- I know you can.

- Romain: Yeah.

- And we hear from you, yeah?

- Yeah. Yes.

- Iselin: Hmm?

- Yeah.

Iselin: [in Norwegian]

[sniffles]

Romain:

[in English]

[in Norwegian]

[indistinct chatter]

Bjrn Tore: [in English]

You're welcome anytime.

- Come and visit, really.

- Of course, I will. Yeah.

Bjrn Tore: There's so much

I want to tell,

and I don't know how to say it.

[dogs barking, whining]

Bjrn Tore: [in Norwegian]

- [indistinct chatter]

- [gentle music playing]

[sniffles]

[in English] The old favorite,

that one.

Romain: Hmm. Yeah.

Student 7: [in Norwegian]

- [student 8 sobbing]

- Student 9:

[whines]

Romain: [in English]

Everyone says that

teenage years

are supposed to be, like,

the best years of your life.

It's like everyone

wants to be teenagers

except teenagers.

Being young is hard.

Sometimes I found

being alive hard.

Some things

that I experienced here,

I never thought I would, like...

experience so much so

that I was like,

"Oh, if I knew

this would happen,

I would not go.

It will be too scary."

If that makes sense.

And then you're

kind of grateful

that it happened.

- [melodic harmonica playing]

- [whines softly]

Bjrn Tore: I'm in a bit

of a middle stage

where I'm neither a kid

nor adult, if you will.

I see my flaws, I see my pros.

I don't think

I'm a complete nuisance

to everybody now,

which I thought I was before.

Maybe I was before,

maybe I'm not now.

I'm learning about myself

through other people.

I think that's what this year

has been mainly about.

The world has become bigger

for me, you know?

It's not that scary.

[chuckles softly]

- [uplifting music playing]

- [indistinct chatter]

Hege: [laughs, in Norwegian]

[sobs]

[chuckles]

[indistinct chatter

over cellphone]

[indistinct chatter]

Hege: [sighs, in English]

It's not easy being home.

- [traffic rumbling]

- [indistinct chatter]

["Married Life"

from Up playing]

Hege: [in Norwegian]

Hege's Mom:

- Hege:

- Hege's Mom:

Hege:

Hege's Mom:

[sobs]

Hege's Mom:

[eerie music playing]

[brooding music playing]

[birds chirping]

Hege: [in English]

Life is chaos.

I cannot change the past,

but I feel that I can do

something with my life.

I need a challenge.

[quacks]

[dogs barking, whining]

[howls]

[dogs panting]

Hege: I think it's weird

to get older.

[pants]

Hege: And I think

you should chase

the better version of yourself

all the time.

[gentle music playing]

Hege: That's life.

You do big changes.

["Coffee"

by Sylvan Esso playing]

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Feel the turn of rotation

And stop

See the next one waiting

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Get up

Sentiment's the same

But the pair of feet change

I know my words will dry

Upon the skin

Just like a name

I remember hearing

Wild winters, warm coffee

Mom's gone, do you love me?

Blazing summer, cold coffee

Baby's gone,

do you love me?

Wrap me in your arms

I can't feel it, but

Rock me in your arms

I can't feel it, but

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Feel the turn of rotation

And stop

See the next one waiting

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Get up

Sentiment's the same

But the pair of feet change

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Feel the turn of rotation

And stop

See the next one waiting

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Get up

Sentiment's the same

But the pair of feet change

My baby does

the hanky-panky

My baby does

My baby does

the hanky-panky

My baby does

- Wrap me in your arms

- My baby does

The hanky-panky

- I can't feel it, but

- My baby does

- Rock me in your arms

- My baby does

The hanky-panky

- I can't feel it, but

- My baby does

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Feel the turn of rotation

And stop

See the next one waiting

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Get up

Sentiment's the same

But the pair of feet change

Get up, get down

And you move it

All around now

Get up

See the next one waiting

Get up, get down

Get up, get down

Get up

Sentiment's the same

But the pair of feet change

- [song concludes]

- [dogs barking, howling]