THE WAY, MY WAY.

Australia, 2024, 100 minutes, Colour.

Chris Haywood, Laura Lakshmi, Pia Thunderbolt, Jennifer Cluff.

Directed by Bill Bennett.

It is amazing how well-known and popular the Camino di Compostela has become. Originally, a Catholic pilgrim devotion, it is now walked by a wide range of pilgrims, religious, spiritual, secular…

Already in 2011, there was a feature film, The Way, where actor Emilio Estevez directed his devout Catholic activist father, Martin Sheen. As expected, it followed a varied group along the scenic route as they discussed, pondered their lives, experienced some deepening of self-awareness.

It is

While The Way featured fictitious characters, in 2015, there was a documentary feature, Walking the Camino to Santiago, where the director of the film joined actual pilgrims, sharing the journey with them, giving background to the Camino, explaining some of the religious context as well as practices.

In 2013, Australian writer-director, Bill Bennett, who had been working in film and television since the 1970s, with films like A Street to Die, walked the Camino and published a book of his experiences. It has taken a decade for him to get his memoir to the screen. He has written the screenplay, has cast veteran actor, Chris Haywood, with whom he had worked long since, as a film-maker named Bill, married to Jen for 41 years. She is played here by actress, Jennifer Cluff, Bennett’s wife of the last 40 years, who also served as a producer.

Chris Haywood is a familiar figure from many movies since the 1970s. He is not exactly young to be setting out on the Camino. He is not a believer but, on a visit to Spain, sees the pilgrims, reminding him of lemmings on their way to the cliff edge. He chats. He asks questions. And returning home, this stays with him quite powerfully, curiosity, intrigued, obsessive and deciding to go himself. He closely studies the maps, descriptions, meticulous about his pack, the weight, relationship to his body weight, the possibilities for walking – and practising with long and longer walks in the countryside.

He is also grilled by Jen, trying to get strongly-felt answers from him. Then, an economy flight (and his complaints) to Biarritz, sharing a taxi with three others, beginning the Camino.

The screen informs us throughout which day it is, how many kilometres he has walked, how many to go, the 780 total.

For those who have walked, plenty of scenery, countryside, towns, hostels that they will remember. And there is a lot of information and cautions for those intending to walk. As expected, with Bill’s voice-over comments about the walk, his very bung knee, about fellow-pilgrims, invites us to share his experience, his moods, confusions. And there is his questioning and his personal self-revelation about simplicity in life, an apology to Jen, who admits he is a very difficult man but she loves him.

Also, as expected, Bill encounters nine pilgrims, older rather than younger, two exuberant men from Hungary, thoughtful direct Dutch woman, a sympathetic Italian couple, a sad Spanish woman who broods, a young Asian man, and a Scots former business CEO. As they walk, encounter each other at times along the way, share their lives, those great deal of warmth and friendship.

The pilgrims are ordinary people and Bill Bennett is telling his story for an ordinary audience, inviting them to identify with Bill and the others. There are some specifically religious references, especially a moving “confessional” sequence, some happy meditative moments in the Cathedral of St James.

The Way, My Way is an invitation to reflection for people of faith or not – an invitation to a spiritual experience.

The Way, My Way is an invitation to reflection for people of faith or not – an invitation to a spiritual experience.

1. The popularity of the Camino de Santiago? The long tradition, the Middle Ages, pilgrims, the Cathedral of St James and relics?
2. Audience knowledge, popularity in the 21^st-century, documentaries, films?
3. This film based on personal experience, the writer-director, his pilgrimage in 2013, the effect on him, his writing on the Camino, getting the film to the screen? The screenplay, the main character filmmaker, Bill, his wife, Jen, 40 years married? The parallels with Bill Bennett and his wife, Jennifer Cluff?
4. Bill, in Spain, seeing the pilgrims as lemmings, his curiosity, the questions, returning home, the secular perspective, puzzle, more and more obsessed, walking practice, meticulous preparation, maps and books, his pack and wait…? Jen and her questions and his answers?
5. Flying to Biarritz, complaining about economy class, meeting up with the Hungarians and the Dutch woman, the taxi, accommodation? Jen imposing a limit on his first day, his phone calls, dilemma, breaking the resolution?
6. The film detailing which day, distances from the start, distances to Compostela? The range of countryside, and Bill starting on the wrong road, catching up, the range of hostels and accommodation, shared, meals? Buildings, the towns, the churches?
7. The range of pilgrims and Bill’s interactions? The cheerful Hungarian, religious dimensions, business abilities? Companion will? The second Hungarian, Bill and his knee, lending the jacket, the ice? The various helps? The Dutch woman, friendly, direct in her expressions and opinions? Challenging girl? The Italian couple, their past experiences, testing Bill, his not getting a taxi? The Scot, the CEO, sitting and meditating, the conversations, the revelations, is measured pace? The young Spanish woman, the encounter with her, in the church, Bill acting as a confessor, her story, reconciliation, self-forgiveness? The young Asian man, taking the photo, the later conversations?
8. Along the way, the comedy of Bill and demanding no head space and the photos, the range of photos, this recurring theme? His own photos?
9. Bill, age, health, his knee, needing to rest, the ice, the treatment, medication? The various pilgrims and their contribution?
10. The voice-over, Bill’s reflections, puzzles, the impact of the people, the long silent walking, the countryside? Spiritual dimensions, self-reflection? The Scot and the explanation of simplicity, carrying all one needs for life?
11. The phone calls to Jen, communication, concern, arriving Compostela, her presence and the reunion?
12. Happy times, getting to know people, the time available while walking, to reflect, to put busy life in perspective?
13. The religious value of the Camino, the spiritual value of the Camino for all those who walk it?