A Pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago

Bruce Von Stiers

Rich Henckels has about twenty acting credits under his belt. But earlier in his life, he was a broadcast journalist. He also had a leadership role in a family business. But acting was his passion. This passion led Henckels to a career in commercials and television and film roles.

But Henckels saw an end to a longstanding relationship. And that he needed something and somewhere to heal. He had read a book several times about a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago, Spain. He decided to go on that pilgrimage. And to film his, and others, journey along the way.

The result of that journey was a documentary film titled Camino de Santiago – The Pilgrims Speak. The film is just over 30 minutes long.

The film has several on camera interviews with people who are on the pilgrimage at the same time as Henckels. And it shows various locations along the way of the pilgrimage.

The viewer is treated to some history of the pilgrimage, which ends at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Santiago, Spain. This cathedral is purported to have been built over the tomb of St. James, one of Jesus' disciples. As early as 1,100 AD, a quarter of a million pilgrims went on a trek to Santiago to visit the tomb of St. James.

Over the centuries there became a lack of interest in the pilgrimage. There was a resurgence of the pilgrimage that began in the 1950's. Easier travel routes, better printed materials about the pilgrimage and finally, the internet, helped fuel people's desire to make the pilgrimage. Now there is an estimated 350,000 people who make the pilgrimage each year.

One of the guides is asked about the reasons people come on the trip. He says that there are many reasons. Some are simply to explore the country and all its culture. Some come for a sports challenge. Some for the spiritual aspects of the pilgrimage. And several other reasons.

Alena is a solo pilgrim. She's from the Czech Republic. She says that her journey is about spending time with herself and trying to refocus her priorities.

A man from New York wanted to go on the pilgrimage because he'd heard it could be a transforming experience. And a Swedish world hiker wanted the experience of yet another long and, hopefully rewarding hike across a country. And a young man had the choice of this for a vacation or nothing at all.

People from countries around the world go on this journey. A woman from the United States had ended her marriage and her daughter got pregnant. She was looking for something to transform her life. And a woman from Great Britain tells of how at home we put things in boxes and let them build. But on the pilgrimage, you are free to say what you feel. And another woman from Great Britain thinks it's about togetherness and meeting new people.

And the film does echo that sentiment. There are merchants and others along the path of the pilgrimage that offer encouragement and sometimes material things to help on the journey.

The film also shows pilgrims attending a mass at some point during their trek.

One woman had done the pilgrimage alone. Now this time, she has brought her father along. Many people repeat the pilgrimage. Of those people, they often bring along a friend or family member, so that they can experience what was felt on the person's initial pilgrimage.

In order to be officially recognized as a pilgrim, with an actual certificate, a participant must have walked at least 100 kilometers along the trek.

Near the end of the film, Henckel himself is interviewed. He says that everyone goes on the pilgrimage for different reasons. But what if everyone in the world did the pilgrimage just one time? The film closes with a personal observation from Henckel. And there is a scene from a service at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

Some of the interviewees included Gonz Alvarez, Alena Kamenscikova, Noelia Arena, Danile Frazo and Deacon Mike Braun.

Henkels directed and was the cinematographer for the film. It was edited by Phil Kwarta.

The theme for the film seems to basically be that pilgrimage initiates the sense of community. If you've started the pilgrimage alone, by the end, you have made friends and, in some cases, become like a family. And that the pilgrimage can be a healing experience.

The film was a good documentary. Henckels did a good job of getting pilgrims to talk about their reasons for being there and how the pilgrimage was impacting their lives.

Camino de Santiago – The Pilgrims Speak has been submitted to the Santa Clarita International Film Festival for possible inclusion in this year's upcoming festival.

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© 2024 Bruce E Von Stiers