En roue libre

The Project Our idea is to go from Dunkerque in France and to make our way up to the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, in Norway...on a tandem. And make a movie about it. Without any cycling experience, more than 3500 km and 2 months of effort separate us from our destination. We plan to take the Eurovelo routes n°12, n°3, and n°1 to reach our destination, we wish to allow ourselves to follow our curiosity during our trip so we may modify our itinerary according to our encounters and desires. We have planned daily cycling stages of 100 km on average. This is a steady pace that forces us to take rest days. We think we will keep a rhythm of 3 to 4 days of cycling in a row and 3 rest days a week. We will pack light enough to pitch our tent as far up as possible (wild camping is generally allowed in Scandinavian countries). When this isn't possible, we'll try to sleep in local's homes or youth hostels. We want our trip to be an experience turned towards others and to allow spontaneous encounters. Why this project? At the dawn of our 20s, we think it is time for us to take look at ourselves and attempt to see who we really are. Genesis Being born in the early 2000s means having grown up in a world that is too complex and too fast for our developing brains. It is also, and above all, being in total incapacity of projecting ourselves serenely into the future. New technologies, worldwide armed conflicts, climatic and environmental crises: everything is changing faster and faster every day; our lifestyles and habits with it. In this world without any constancy, we have lost our bearings. Like having the impression of being surrounded by a "mental fog", in which it is very difficult for us to navigate. Despite all this, we can't just sit back. Being 20 years old is also the time to try everything, to dare, to undertake, to create, to experiment new things. More than ever to make mistakes and to discover yourself little by little. And what do you do when you're lost? You head north. A trip... On all scales, synonymous to freedom, both physically and psychologically, travelling confronts us with ourselves. Being exposed to new environments, different cultures, and experiencing other ways of life challenges our habits and what we think defines us, for the better. To travel is to grow. It is the great adventure. The one that leaves its mark in the soul. ~ Marc Thiercelin Travelling is also a very meaningful human adventure. From impromptu encounters to friendships created on the side of the road...we believe we have a lot to learn from others. It is in the relationship we develop with others that we gradually move towards humbling and understanding ourselves. ...in Tandem We both believe in the idea that "everything happens for a reason", although it's easy to question. We met almost two years ago and we're about to go on the craziest adventure of our lives. What if we had met at this point of our existence, exactly for this? The idea of the tandem has therefore a special meaning: it is a real challenge that we will tackle together. Travelling like this will allow us to discuss and share emotions during the trip which will only deepen our thoughts. And who knows, maybe will it be the beginning of even crazier adventures? The movie In this film, we want to tell the story of our inner journey. By taking the time to discover and observe, we want to make it the reflection of our will to see the light through the constant fog that surrounds our generation. It is both a refusal of this new rapidity in which we no longer have time to build ourselves and an ode to the infinite possibilities that are available to us. This is why we'll start with a question that will mark the guiding thread of our story: what is a successful life? In trying to answer this question, we'll have to do a lot of introspection, which will be facilitated by the novelty of the experience. And since the film will be primarily focused on the human side of our adventure, we will interview people of all ages and backgrounds along the way, in order to feed our answers with many different points of view. Loyal to this philosophy, the rhythm of the film will be rather slow and calm. We will alternate between face-to-face sequences, to immerse the viewer in our journey with the direct exposure of our feelings, our troubles, etc..., and voice-over sequences, with a little more distance to dive into the depth of our story. But also others in which we will film moments of life, discussions, and encounters with strangers or travelers, to bring diversity to our words. Who are we? My name is Nils. I'll be 20 years old on June 24th, when we will surely be making our way through the Norwegian countryside between Oslo and Trondheim. As a child, I was very curious about the world around me and interested in many things: I said I wanted to be a train driver, a naturalist, a scientist, a military man, an archaeologist, an astronaut... A real little adventurer. This trip is above all an attempt for me to retrieve this state of wonder, and reconnect with who I really am. I'm Romain. I'll be 20 years old in August, when I return from this trip, and surely celebrating it alone in bed, with my aches and blisters... I've always aspired to have an adventurous life, traveling around the world. What I like about it is the uncertainty: being constantly on the go, not knowing where you're going to sleep at night, what person you're going to cross paths with... These are the challenges we set ourselves: to improvise on the spot as we can, to overcome the difficulties, and to reach this super ambitious goal. I'm more than motivated to make all this happen!