Inside the Quiet Magic of Folktales: A Journey North with Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady

There’s something quietly powerful about watching someone grow up—especially in a place where silence stretches farther than the eye can see, and the only sound is the breath of dogs pulling sleds across snow. That’s the heart of Folktales, the new documentary from acclaimed filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who took their cameras and their curiosity north of the Arctic Circle to capture a year in the life of a Nordic folk school.

The idea for Folktales began in an unexpected place: a podcast featuring an American dog sledder. That led Heidi to a book, which mentioned a Scandinavian folk school—a unique place where young adults go not to chase grades, but to discover themselves. As observational filmmakers, Ewing and Grady were immediately drawn in.

"Who would choose to spend a year north of the Arctic Circle? Why would they go? And how might they change?" Heidi recalls. For them, the potential was rich: coming-of-age, a self-contained school year, and a location they’d never explored before.

Scandinavia is dotted with folk schools, each with its own focus. But one stood out. It took two days to reach from New York City, and when they arrived, it looked nothing like the Norway they'd imagined. “Untouched, scrubby, flat,” Rachel describes. But what really captured them were the dogs and the teachers.

“We’re dog parents,” Rachel says with a laugh, “and these dogs were just so different—enormous and strong.” But it was the teachers who truly sealed it: compassionate, wise, and surprising. “All people need a lot of things,” Rachel reflects, “but one thing that can totally change your destiny is an incredible teacher.”

“Usually, documentary subjects are extroverts,” Rachel explains. “But these students were introverted—and open.” That openness allowed Folktales to offer a rare, unfiltered glimpse into Gen Z as they navigate identity, anxiety, and connection in a world that often misunderstands them. “They weren’t looking for fame or influence,” Heidi says. “They weren’t trying to perform. They were just living—and they trusted us to be there.”

Capturing this delicate balance meant developing a whole new visual approach. Since the program emphasizes independence and solitude, the crew had to remain nearly invisible. Long lenses, subtle mic placements, and experimental setups—some involving drones and dog mounted cameras that rarely worked as planned were all part of the trial and error. The result is a film that feels like you're eavesdropping on transformation, not interrupting it.

What stayed with the filmmakers most was the silence. “I’d never experienced complete silence before,” Rachel says. “Living in cities my whole life, I didn’t know what it would do to me. But it tapped into something very deep.”

And maybe that’s the soul of Folktales: it’s not just a film about young people learning to live in the Arctic. It’s about what happens when the noise fades and we’re left with ourselves—and the possibility of change.

Watch the full conversation below:

Q&A on the film Folktales with documentary filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company.

Teenagers attend a folk high school in Arctic Norway, relying on themselves, peers, and sled dogs as they navigate the path to adulthood and uncharted personal growth.