I Walk

In the stylized opening shot, the Danish filmmaker, sports journalist and poet Jørgen Leth is getting an MRI. In 2010, Leth survived a major earthquake in Haiti, where he lives, and he has been unable to walk properly ever since. In one fell swoop he became an old man. In a poetic mix of feverish dream-like images and observations in voice-over, it also becomes clear that Leth has never entirely recovered from the psychological trauma. He is depressed and has nightmares. He and his son travel to Laos, to the Mekong River, where he plans to create a work of art in the jungle.

Aging is central to this sometimes hard-hitting personal documentary. Leth’s memory is becoming foggy, his hearing is deteriorating, and his joints are stiffening, but his desire for recognition and relevance remains. His imbalance and unsteadiness surprises him: he has always been used to being firmly at the center of attention. The extent to which Leth is fascinated by himself is almost coquettish, but it also makes for a fascinating film.