The North is a drama about male vulnerability.
A new debut feature film from Bart Schrijver tells the story of two old friends, Chris and Lluis, who after a long period of separation from each other rekindle their friendship by attempting to walk the famous Cape Wrath Trail (373 miles) in Scotland. A long trek that they completed when they were twenty years younger.
The friends start off buoyant but soon the realisation that they do not know as much about each other as they thought comes to the forefront.
Lluis fakes an injury to get some time alone, so Bart continues the trek alone for a period where he indulges in some self-reflection when the pressure of work anxiety and the fear of being alone hits him squarely.
For a film that wants to say a lot about men opening up and coming to terms with their mental health issues, not a lot is said by the two lead protagonists. More is said by the people they meet on the trail – a woman who asks them to watch the sunset together, a man who talks about his brother dying and then an elder man who is happy to be going home and enjoying his retirement.
The two leads meanwhile are mute and quiet for long periods of time, the culmination and final scene where Lluis does break down come somewhat out of nowhere and feels like a film looking for a conclusion and ending.
This is a pity as the film is gorgeously shot offering an excuse to give the Scottish Highlands a platform to remind us of the beauty that surrounds us and how we should embrace such beauty while it is still here, the cinematography by Twan Peeters deserves huge praise and is the winning facet of this production.
It is such beauty that would bring me to tears and the film asks you to not be afraid to share that vulnerability, however the problem is that Chris and Lluis take so long to break down that the message is lost amidst the mist of the Highlands.
The North is released by Tull Stories, on 24th April, 2026.
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