Laurie, Kristy and Linda each live alone on the roads of America, sleeping in their vehicles. They are just three among thousands of modern American nomads who can no longer afford to pay for conventional housing.
‘Nomad Solitude’ follows each woman, revealing the daily reality of their lives outside the mainstream. The nomad lifestyle is often represented as aspirational, and was popularised by the Oscar-winning film “Nomadland.” Many nomads have their own Youtube channel, as there is such an appetite to know more about this lifestyle, perhaps based on some romantic idea of the nomad life.
The film is a visual feast of the breathtaking wide open spaces of the USA. We see the freedom of their lives, but also the intense solitude, with all its beauty and its desolation. There is a deep emotional core to the film as the women are each determined to stay positive about their path.
With no money to spare, these three sixty-year old women are fleeing, in their own way, a part of their history that has left a deep mark on them. As they drive away from a conventional lifestyle, they try to reclaim some kind of peace. But as the miles pass and the seasons turn, despite their courage and resilience, their quest for a better future is challenged by unexpected events that hit a country in crisis. Will they nevertheless manage, at the end of the road, to find the serenity they are looking for, in order to become someone again?
“One of the remarkable entries, Nomad Solitude by Belgian filmmaker Sebastien Wieleman, portrays the unconventional lives of three elderly American women, shedding light on alternative housing solutions in the form of automobiles” Review of Ji.hlava IDFF 2023 in Modern Times Review