This month on Rialto Presenters, Judy Bailey introduces a series of human-interest documentaries that cover a range of topics from public education in America to the plight of firefighters in the city of Detroit. Kicking off the series is the delightful Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, a film that Bailey enjoyed so much she’s even thinking of attempting the 800 km pilgrimage herself.

Catch Rialto Presenters on Wednesday evenings at 8.30pm. Here are a few other highlights for the week.

This month on Rialto Presenters, Judy Bailey introduces a series of human-interest documentaries that cover a range of topics from public education in America to the plight of firefighters in the city of Detroit. Kicking off the series is the delightful Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, a film that Bailey enjoyed so much she’s even thinking of attempting the 800 km pilgrimage herself.

Catch Rialto Presenters on Wednesday evenings at 8.30pm. Here are a few other highlights for the week.

Anton Chekov 1890 … Monday 4^th April

Many years ago I attended acting classes and was the only person there who didn’t know who Anton Chekov was. My ignorance of great playwrights, and lack of talent, made it clear to me I was not destined to be an actress. Anton Chekov is of course the 19^th century Russian doctor who supplemented his income by writing stories for magazines and newspapers, and is now considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. This biopic from French director Rene Feret (Mozart’s Sister) covers Chekov’s life from 1886 to 1896 - from his discovery as a new literary voice to the rehearsals for his first major play, The Seagull. Nicolas Giraud takes on the role of Chekov and does an exceptional job with Feret’s restrained script, and delivers a nuanced performance that captures Chekov’s complex personality. Anton Chekov 1890 might be a Russian story, but it’s told with the elegance and flare of a French period drama, and is a classy way to start the week.

Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago… Wednesday 6^th April, 8.30pm

I’ve done a few long walks in my time. This time last year I walked the Oxfam 100 km Trailwalk in 24 hours (or close enough to), and thought that was a pretty good effort. An 800 km trek however is a completely different challenge, and as we see in Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, one that people cope with in different ways. The documentary is the work of filmmaker Lydia Smith who walked the Camino that goes from St. Jean Pied de Port in France, to the route’s official end: the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain where the bones of the apostle St. James are said to be buried. Millions of people from all over the world have traveled this trail for over 1,000 years, some seeking forgiveness of their sins and admission to heaven, others seeking a physical challenge, or a chance to reflect on their lives. As we follow a handful of travellers aged between 21 to 62 years old walking the trail in 2009, we discover that regardless of their reasons for undertaking this historic pilgrimage, it all comes down to a question of faith; in themselves, in the kind and generous locals they meet along the way, and the spiritual and natural world around them. To truthfully capture the experience of walking the Camino, Smith and her three camera crews walked along side these pilgrims, capturing their journey on Sony Ex–1 & 3 High-Definition video cameras. Some pilgrims also recorded their own intimate video-diaries during moments of introspection on the trail. For all of the trek’s life changing potential, Smith’s film doesn’t aggrandise these pilgrim’s achievements and in taking a gentle, honest approach to recording these journeys, entices you to think about a pilgrimage of your own. Amazingly, you might start thinking 800 km’s doesn’t look so bad after all. 

Slow West  …Saturday 9^th April, 8.30pm 

There’s something quite transfixing about this smart and quirky Western staring the irrepressible Michael Fassbender and Aussie actor Kodi Smith-McPhee (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes). Maybe it’s New Zealand’s glorious Mackenzie Country standing in for 19^th century Colorado, or maybe it’s the unique pace of this film that encompasses quiet moments, sharp conversations and sudden bursts of violence and black humour. Whatever it is, Slow West is a must see for lovers of the genre. The film is written and directed by Scottish film director, screenwriter and musician (Beta Band) John Maclean who previous worked with Fassbender on a couple of small budget short films such as Man On A Motorcycle and the BAFTA winning Pitch Black Heist. Fassbender plays Silas, a worldly traveller who teams up with Jay Cavendish (Smit-McPhee), a naive 16-year-old Scottish lad who has traveled to America with his West, Ho! handbook to find his lost love Rose (Caren Pistorius). As this odd couple travel through stunning landscapes accompanied by an exceptionally cool soundtrack, they come face to face with the brutality of frontier life – all in the name of love. Moving, thoughtful, downbeat and at times hilariously funny, this art house western is a must-see.