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Documentary

Folktales (2025): Ratings & Box Office

Folktales (2025) movie poster

Folktales is a 2025 documentary directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes and earned $130,841 worldwide. Critics gave it 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.

IMDb rating
7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
85%
worldwide gross
$130.8K
Echo Score
70
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Folktales (2025) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 45m (105 min)
Directors
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Genre
Documentary
Original language
Norwegian
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Folktales About?

The premise of Folktales without spoilers.

Feeling overwhelmed by loneliness and social anxiety, three teenagers leave home to attend a unique folk high school in the remote, northern Norwegian wilderness. Immersed in a traditional learning environment and isolated for a year, Hege, Romain, and Bjørn Tore must navigate the challenges of self-reliance and forge their own path in the stark beauty of the arctic landscape.

Folktales Themes & Keywords

· 8 tags
  • norway
  • arctic
  • high school
  • dog
  • teenage girl
  • sled dog
  • teenage boy
  • school
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Crew

The Director of Folktales

Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.

From the directors

More from Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady

More films directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, best-rated first: I Carry You with Me, Endangered, One of Us and The Boys of Baraka.

Ratings

Folktales Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Folktales 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 70/100, strongest in art & craft (85) and weakest in rewatch factor (55).

70 /100

Folktales Echo Score Breakdown

Folktales excels in its visual presentation but shows uneven emotional depth and pacing challenges. The film’s cinematography and production design receive praise for capturing the Arctic landscape’s stark beauty and sustaining a polished aesthetic. Its poignant moments of canine companionship foster heartfelt connection, yet several observers note a lack of fully developed character arcs and occasional sluggish progression. While the documentary offers universal themes with polished execution, it feels repetitive at times, leading to a somewhat uneven narrative rhythm. Overall, it leaves a lasting but imperfect impression.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 85

    In terms of art and craft, Folktales showcases striking visual composition and refined direction. Reviewers highlight the film’s polished cinematography that captures expansive Arctic vistas with clarity and dramatic framing. The production design and editing contribute to a seamless presentation of canine-assisted scenes. These elements work together to establish a consistently engaging aesthetic throughout the documentary.

  • Character & Emotion 60

    When it comes to character and emotion, Folktales evokes genuine warmth through its depiction of canine-human bonds. Audiences respond positively to moments of emotional breakthrough during dog sledding sequences. However, several critiques point out limited character development among the youth subjects, resulting in less nuanced personal arcs. Overall, the emotional resonance remains present but somewhat constrained by shallow depth.

  • Story & Flow 65

    In terms of story and flow, Folktales offers an engaging coming-of-age narrative framed by a series of canine-assisted experiences. The film’s pacing allows for thoughtful reflection on universal themes of self-discovery, yet some find the progression repetitive and lacking dramatic tension. Occasional lulls in momentum reduce narrative dynamism, creating a moderately uneven flow overall.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    In terms of sensory experience, Folktales delivers immersive audiovisual appeal through a cohesive visual style and crisp sound design. Critics commend the film’s soundtrack and environmental audio, which complement the vivid depiction of remote landscapes. The visual coherence and attention to sonic detail amplify the documentary’s immersive quality, making for a largely consistent sensory presentation.

  • Rewatch Factor 55

    When assessing rewatch factor, Folktales offers moments of charm that encourage repeat viewing, primarily through its heartwarming canine interactions. The film’s polished visuals and universal themes add to its lasting appeal. However, persistent pacing issues and a sense of narrative repetition diminish the desire for subsequent viewings. Overall, replay value remains moderate rather than strong.

Box office

Folktales Box Office

Folktales grossed $130,841 worldwide. $129,358 came from the US and Canada and $1,483 (1%) from the rest of the world.

2025 box office

Worldwide gross

$130.8K

US & Canada
$129.4K
International
$1.5K
US & Canada 99% Rest of the world 1%
Videos

Folktales Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer, 1 clip and 1 featurette.

Official Trailer
  • Clip Dog Mushing
  • Featurette Teens Train Sled Dogs In New Coming Of Age Doc 'Folktales'
Details

Folktales Also Known As

Also known as “Opowieści z dalekiej północy”.

Also known as
  • Opowieści z dalekiej północy

Seen Folktales?

FAQ

Folktales FAQ: Box Office, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Folktales, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Folktales?

Folktales runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).

When was Folktales released?

Folktales was released on July 25, 2025.

Who directed Folktales?

Folktales was directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.

More films by Heidi Ewing

How much did Folktales make at the box office?

Folktales grossed $130,841 worldwide ($129,358 domestic, $1,483 international).

How is Folktales rated?

Folktales has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic and 60% on TMDB.

Does Folktales have a post-credit scene?

No. Folktales has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Folktales in?

The original language of Folktales is Norwegian.

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