Oldedalen is a river valley in Norway, 20km long, sparsely populated, with the village of Olden at one end. Each side of the river is walled in by bright green mountains topped with glaciers. It is the type of scenery that gets put in brochures of the prettiest places in the world. Oldedalen is also the setting of the 2023 Norwegian documentary Songs of Earth. 

Songs of Earth was written and directed by Margreth Olin, and features the voiceover by her father, Jørgen Mykløen, and singing by her mother, Magnhild Mykløen. The importance of family connections is a through line of the film. As expressed by Olin’s mother at the beginning, “Your parents are your foundation.” Through narration, Olin’s father tells stories about generations of his family that have lived in Olden. The themes of generational knowledge, storytelling, and how that is tied to the place they live are the beating heart of Songs of Earth.

Death and grief also feature heavily as themes. Olin’s parents are aging and discuss how they would like to die in the film. Olin’s father explains the deaths of many people from the town’s history, both at the end of long lives and as the result of tragic accidents. There is a sense of death looming on the horizon like a coming storm, a preemptive grief that follows Olin and her parents. Death is not seen as an entirely negative experience, as Olin’s father explains, it is a natural part of the world, something we will all eventually experience. 

It is impossible to discuss Songs of Earth without mentioning the scenery. The film is almost entirely composed of shots of the Oldedalen through a full year of seasons. The natural landscapes are the focus of the film, with beautiful sweeping shots of the mountains and glaciers as well as intimate close ups of flowers and streams. The film is divided into seasons showing Oldedalen in all its glory at different points in the year. From huge cascading waterfalls, to a lake frozen over with snow, to a field full of flowers; it’s all breathtaking. 

The film does not position people as opposite to nature, instead as a part of it. There are contrasting shots showing close ups of Jørgen Mykløen alongside close ups of a natural feature like a rock face, linking the two intimately together. The majority of the film features Mykløen walking through the gorgeous landscapes he has spent his life in. Instead of being an intruding presence in the natural world, he blends seamlessly into it. He is at home in the mountains, alongside the flora and fauna. 

In the opening of the film, Olin tells the story of when she was a child she would ask her father to tell her a story. He would answer “Let’s go for a walk.” Songs of Earth is a film that makes you want to go for a walk somewhere beautiful. 

‍The 2024 ReFrame Festival runs from January 25th-February 4th. A list of films, tickets to events and screenings, and more information can be found on the Festival Website.