Radji

A simple, inconspicuous wire fence in a deserted, snowy landscape marks the border between Sweden and Norway. In the far northern region, it randomly divides the grazing ground of a group of Sámi reindeer herders. For hundreds of years, they have followed their animals on their seasonal migrations to food sources. It is a life in and in harmony with nature, which national laws have colonised with petty regulations, interdictions, and penalties. “Radji” sensitively documents the Sámi’s fight for their rights against an authority hidden behind legal jargon that threatens their existence. The film focuses on herder Simon Issát Marainen and his family to paint an impressive picture of the fatal consequences that faceless bureaucracy engenders for the way they live. Judiciously but resolutely, Marainen and his wife advocate for their traditions and their cultural identity. They are prepared to take the fight for their lands to Norway’s highest court.