ROAD TO PATAGONIA

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Storyline (warning: spoilers)

Collating 16 years’ worth of footage from Australian ecologist, director and star Matty Hannon’s life as he looks to come to terms with his place in the world and accomplish a goal of surfing and exploring the west coast of the Americas from Alaska to Patagonia, The Road to Patagonia is a heartfelt and sincere documentary that is sure to be an audience favourite across the globe. Stunningly captured by Hannon and Heather Hillier, who joins Hannon in his film and life journey here, Patagonia is one of the most visually incredibly and naturalistic documentaries of recent memories and easily one of the most impressive Australian backed documentaries of the modern era, joining the likes of Ghosthunter, Hotel Coolgardie, 2040 and Sherpa as one of the most quintessential docos to come from Australian voices in the feature film landscape.
His first feature film, Hannon showcases a deft hand at the filmmaking game, spending years (with help from veteran editor Harriet Clutterbuck) working through unnumbered hours of footage that totalled in the 100s of hours’ worth to edit Patagonia down to a brisk 90 minutes, a 90 minutes that at all times provides a feast for the senses, the heart and very spirit of what it means to connect with the world we live in, all heavy subjects and weighty themes that never feel heavy-handed or delivered in a manufactured way here.
Telling a story that unfolds as it goes rather than plays out to a certain design or end goal, Patagonia takes the audience on an adventure that will make them laugh, cry and ponder and whether it’s in precarious moments late at night in a tent surrounded by wolves, beautiful moments with Hannon and Hillier’s horses (unfussy MVP’s of the film) or quiet yet effective interactions with real life subject matters Hannon and Hillier come across on their travels, Patagonia succeeds in multiple facets and is sure to have something for audiences of all backgrounds and creeds. Final Say: A must-see independent Australian documentary that works in multiple ways, The Road to Patagonia is a hugely impressive debut feature and an early contender for the Australian film of 2024. 4 1/2 tubes of Vegemite out of 5.