The Sun At Midnight (3 Stars)

If you want to know why I don't need to go on holiday, this is a film you should watch. It's all filmed on location in northern Canada, in and around Fort McPherson in the Arctic Circle. That's a place that I've never visited and will probably never visit, because it would cost me a fortune.

In addition, standing in these locations personally would be a lot less pleasant than looking at the pictures on my television screen. The characters are shown shivering in the cold. That would spoil my enjoyment of a holiday.

The scenery is beautiful, but why should I be there in person when I can enjoy it from the comfort of my own home?

But by now you must be getting impatient. You want to know what the film's about.

16-year-old Lia lives with her father in a large Canadian city. I don't recognise it, but that's not relevant. All that matters is that she's a modern girl living in a modern world. Then her father has to go away to do a contract for two months. This is too long to leave Lia alone, so he sends her to stay with her grandmother while he's gone. She lives in Fort McPherson, a small town near the northern coast of Canada. According to Wikipedia the population is only 700, of which 695 are indigenous. I'd call them Indians, but that isn't politically correct today. In America, Indians are now called Native Americans, so would the population of Fort McPherson be called Native Canadians? Somehow that doesn't sound right.

Whatever the people are called, Lia doesn't feel comfortable. It's a different world. After two days she runs away, heading to Dawson City, hoping to find a better life. She sails along the Peel River in a motorboat stolen from her grandmother, but she has no idea of the distance involved. Her boat breaks down, and she's found by an old hunter called Alfred. He tells her that even if the boat were working she would be travelling for four weeks.

Alfred is searching for reindeer, who are known as caribou. They are practically the holy animal for the local people. They don't just eat the meat, they use their hide to make shoes and other clothing. The reindeer have disappeared, having gone to graze elsewhere, and Alfred is searching for them. He doesn't have time to help Lia himself, so he brings her to three fellow hunters who are waiting for a plane.

In the first night one of the hunters tries to rape Lia, so she flees and meets up with Alfred again. She accompanies him on his search for the caribou, and a strong bond develops. It's heartwarming to see how these two very different people become friends. It isn't just Lia who needs Alfred, he needs her as well. On their travels Alfred is mauled by a bear, so Lia has to bring him back to civilisation.

Admittedly, very little happens in the film. We see Alfred and Lia walking through the deserted scenery. That's it. But it's beautiful scenery, and we grow to love both characters as the film progresses.

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