I Walk

synopsis

This autobiographical film shot in the form of a diary captures the everyday life and woes of an old man with many successes under his belt and a richly lived past, but whose zest for life is slowly beginning to fade away. Jørgen Leth survived a devastating earthquake in Haiti, but his legs have not served him well since and every step he takes is an arduous task. He travels to Laos with a team of filmmakers and his adult children where he plans a project with help from the local people to capture the pristine nature of the country. During the project’s pre-production phase, he revisits the past to speak about his own life story, taking a poetic approach as he answers the burning question: is it still possible to find beauty and happiness if one is barely able to put on his own shoes?

 

“I think that happiness, or what appears to be happiness, exists in the simple life. What some might view as cheating.” I Walk (00:58:50–00:59:01)

biography

Danish director Jørgen Leth (1937) is a leading figure in experimental documentary cinema. He has worked as a cultural critic and professor at the Danish National Film School in Copenhagen and is the author of a number of poetry collections and non-fiction works. In addition to filmmaking, he enjoys traveling and sports commentating.

more about film

director:	Jørgen Leth
producer:	Sigrid Dyekjær
photography:	Tómas Gislason, Asger Leth
editing:	Jacob Thuesen

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