There is a road in the middle of the wilderness far North of the Arctic Pole. It was built 1955 and was supposed to lead from Kiruna, Sweden, to Bardufoss, Norway. The work was interrupted and now there is only a short fragment of a road of 20 kilometres between the mountains, without connection to the general road system.
Along the road there are five villages, where time has stopped. There is no electricity nor any water. The villagers have transported out old cars over the ice of Torneträsk from Kiruna to this unique place. The cars date from the 60´s and 70´s.
In this film we follow the everyday life along the road. Small stories and events are mixed with deeper portraits of people living close to the wild and untamed nature. Being able to reach the road it is necessary to cross the dangerous lake of Torneträsk. Many people have died there, drowning in the huge waves or going through the ice.
One of the oldest villagers, Sven-Erik Stöckel, is fed up with risking his live crossing the lake. He starts a campaign to finish the work with the road. What would happen then? Would this unique place be invaded by tourists? What would happen to the nature and how would it effect the Sami work with the rein-deers?
TEAM
Director: Johan Palmgren
Editing: Kaveh Akaber
Cinematography: Jonas Rudström, Johan Palmgren, Jonathan Gammel, Jon Jogensjö, Hans-Olof Utsi and Jörgen Lindskog
Script: Kaveh Akaber and Johan Palmgren
Music: David Ricci and Niko Röhlcke
Graphics: Hugo Sundkvist
Sound: Ljudbang, Lisa Gustafsson and Oscar Lagerkvist
Sound Design: Per Nyström and Kaveh Akaber
Post: Benjamin Brunegård and Joakim Andreasson
VFX: Gustav Möjegård
Grade: Nils Fridén
Log: Manne Mossige-Norhwim, Ossian Sheppard, Lisa Sheppard and Juan José de Viciola
Editing Assistants: Kristina Westergren, Christoffer Billebo, David Hult and Filip Fritz
Edit Consultants: Rough cut services – Ollie Huddleston and likka Vehklahati, Lise Indal
Archive Research: Jonas Goldmann
Archive: SVT, SR and private
Poster: Stina Persson and Hugo Sundqvist
Translation: Jennifer Evanas, Stina Blind Labba, Mervi Jaako and Anna-Karin Niia
Economy: Mats Lagström
Assistant Producer: Isabel Andersson and Lisa Taube
Producer: Johan Palmgren
Controller SFI: Jenny Örnborn
Film Comissioner SFI: Jannik Splidsboel
Co-Producer Filmpool Nord: Katja Härkönen
Project Leader SVT: Mattias Sjöstedt
Publisher: Axel Arnö