Review of "The Way" with Martin Sheen

[Sil]

?The Way,? Emilio Estevez?s fourth feature as a writer-director, begins at theSpiritual ?Way? is a family affair
Estevez?s fourth feature stars father, Martin Sheen
?The Way,? Emilio Estevez?s fourth feature as a writer-director, begins at the Camino de Santiago?s start, in St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, below the often-snowbound Route de Napoleon over the Pyrenees. Starring Martin Sheen, Estevez?s father, it takes in Galicia?s improbable-looking Santiago de Compostela, a huge piece of medieval real estate topped by a jaw-dropping cathedral. Sheen plays Tom, an American widower who?s in St.-Jean to reclaim the body of his estranged son, who died, lost on the Route de Napoleon. Tom cremates the remains, puts them in his son?s backpack and starts off to complete the young man?s journey Camino de Santiago?s start, in St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, below the often-snowbound Route de Napoleon over the Pyrenees. Starring Martin Sheen, Estevez?s father, it takes in Galicia?s improbable-looking Santiago de Compostela, a huge piece of medieval real estate topped by a jaw-dropping cathedral. Sheen plays Tom, an American widower who?s in St.-Jean to reclaim the body of his estranged son, who died, lost on the Route de Napoleon. Tom cremates the remains, puts them in his son?s backpack and starts off to complete the young man?s journey

[Leslie]

Hi Sil,

Do you know when this is going to be released? It will be interesting to see if it makes the Camino even more busy - and it would be great for me to know just incase there are a huge amount of searches at the time it comes out so that I can let my web host know - rather not have my site crash...

[Sil]

Filming has just begun. The release date is sometime in 2010.

[sore feet]

A group of us walked from St Jean to Najera at the end of Sept - start of Oct and met up with the film crew several times. They were in St Jean, Roncesvalles and Akerreta several times. The film is due for release late 2010 and as indicated already involves Sheen on his own walk of discovery. He described it to me as a type of Wizard of Oz story where he meets up with 3 other characters , each of them searching for something missing from their respective lives, as they walk the Camino. Sheen is for Roscommon in Ireland next year to make a film in his mothers home village about the impact of cinema in rural 1950s Ireland. He - and all of the crew- were really "down to earth" - not at all the general perception perhaps of actors etc. I'm trying to attach a picture of a good friend with M. Sheen in Roncesvalles.

[Leslie]

Great photo.

I am looking forward to seeing this - being a huge fan of West Wing...

[grayland]

I have very mixed feelings about this.
It is almost certain to add huge numbers to the Way. I am always troubled when something very special is commercialized by the media..(TV, Movie, etc).
I guess I am selfish as I find that one of the best times on the Camino is when one is alone and not in a crowd of others.\
Others may have different thoughts, of course.

[Sil]

I can understand how you feel. However, if the film is sensitively done I think I would welcome it.
I think we have all been spoilt by fairly low numbers of pilgrims walking the camino. Remember that in the middle ages the numbers were much greater than they are today. Pilgrimage was promoted by St James associations, by churches, minstrels and by travelling troubadours. It was almost like the Haj of the Christian world!
I have a post on my blog titled 'Back to the Past' which discusses the decline of the camino after the reformation and religios wars and the revival of the modern pilgrimage.
We haven't even begun to catch up with the medieval pilgrimage!


Amawalker: BACK TO THE PAST

[grayland]

Still......I would prefer to not have hordes of persons (maybe pilgrims..maybe tourists) around all the way.
I would think that maybe they would just add to the crowd from Sarria.
Ed

[Sil]

Yes, you are right. Every new book or film encourages more and more pilgrims to walk el camino!
I have found that the large groups, some with just day-packs, that start from Sarria are mostly Spanish - and why not, Sant Iago is their Patron Saint and they too would like a Compostela!
The Xunta in Galicia is trying to encourage pilgrims to walk the last 100km of the other routes instead of the Frances from Galicia.
The Camino Ingles is a lovely walk and was the route favoured by most Jacobean pilgrims from England in the middle ages. I walked this route in June and did not see a single pilgrim - my friend and I had the albergues to ourselves.
One can also walk the last 100km from Tui, Ourense or Lugo.
Abrazo.

[Daleen Reeves]

Hi Sil thanks for you e-mail. U know I'm planning to do Camino Frances in Aug 2011 for church charity drive, mayb e Frances to busy, will Camino del Norte maybe be a better choice. Cannot find much refugio info on it. Thanks for your patience in answering all my Q's Are you on a Camino at the moment? Thanks Daleen