About movie

Among Herders

Original title Blant Gjetere

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On the outskirts of Tromsø, reindeer and sheep herders are both preparing for the busiest time of the year. In late spring the calves and lambs are born, keeping the herders busy day and night. Not only must they protect their animals from different predators in nature, but also the challenges brought by a growing city. With the animals being so vulnerable this time of the year, it is no easy task. The eagles have increased in numbers and their government-protected status makes them a tenacious enemy. The expanding city leads to growing numbers of people in the mountainous grazing areas. This, too, threatens the animals and so their safekeepers in various ways. The film shows the love and care herders have for their animals, and the constant hardships they are facing – living and herding in the periphery of a developing urban site.

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Author/s Minetta Westerlund

Minetta Westerlund is originally from Finland but has studied anthropology in both Sweden and Norway. She graduated from the University of Tromsø in summer 2022 with an MA in visual anthropology, and the film Among Herders is a part of her master thesis. Minetta currently works at the Arctic Council Secretariat, where she is planning a series of educational videos for the Council.

Research Minetta Westerlund
Photography Minetta Westerlund
Sound Minetta Westerlund
Editing Minetta Westerlund