There is no doubt that “The Way”, the 2010 movie starring Martin Sheen, has been one of the most influential factors in popularizing the Camino worldwide, specially in the U.S. In this movie, Sheen plays a doctor named Tom who, after his son’s death, decides to walk the Camino to Santiago with his son’s ashes.
According to Wikipedia, the production company and actors walked between 300 and 350 kilometers (approx. 190 miles) during filming. There was a very small crew and shot with available light; night-time sequences were filmed by candle and firelight.
And according to a Christian Broadcasting Network interview, a key scene almost did not happen. With church leadership opposed to allowing the crew to shoot inside the famous cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the producer, Emilio Estevez says he took a leap of faith and asked everyone on set to pray for access. “And it worked”, claimed Sheen. The crew was given permission just 48 hours before they were scheduled to shoot the scenes, which they felt were critical to the film.
What I love about the film is how a parent that did not understand the ways of his child finds peace in following in the child’s footsteps. Traditionally, it the child that learns from the parent and “follows” the parent but this movie shows us parents that there is so much we can learn from our children… especially if we follow “their way” for a moment.
Recent Comments