9 films and documentaries on travel to see in your life

9 films and documentaries on travel to see in your life: an invitation to escape and share, from your armchair and even with popcorn.

Nowadays, more than ever, many people travel. It’s no longer just a desire for a vacation and a break. Travel is becoming a way of life. The dream is to shake up your habits, to break with your daily routine. Then, to put yourself to the test, suspend time and confront the unknown. The unknown attracts far more than it frightens, and as soon as you venture towards new horizons, the magic happens. Did you know, however, that you can experience some of these sensations from the comfort of your own home? Because there are filmmakers who have captured the earthly beauty, the wonder and the lives of other peoples, on the fringes of other natures. Through their films and documentaries, wonderful and didactic, they re-enchant our world. Today, take flight simply by diving into your screen. Here are 9 films and documentaries on travel to see in your lifetime.

1. Into the Wild

Among the many films and documentaries on travel, Into the Wild is THE travel film that thrills daredevil globetrotters. Like Christopher McCandless, who hasn’t dreamed of dropping everything and going off to live as a hermit at the end of the world? Except he did.

He abandons his well-ordered life and takes to the road with a meagre backpack. The young man sets off alone into the most remoteAlaskan forests, along glacier-swollen rivers and at the mercy of intransigent nature. But in this extreme retreat, cut off from the rest of the world, he embarks on a mystical quest and finds a salvific return to his roots. There’s no doubt about it: our hero’s tragic destiny will stir your guts.

2. Carnets de voyage

When two young, spirited and dreamy friends decide to crossSouth America in the 1950s, the result is Carnets de voyage.

They get on an old farting motorcycle and set off down the road. It’s sometimes ramshackle, sometimes docile, but one thing’s for sure: it’s their guide. Among the many films and documentaries on travel, this film is a nugget that takes you throughArgentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. The adventures multiply, as do the obstacles, but it’s finally outside their comfort zone that the two friends discover the meaning of the word brotherhood.

Set against a poetic backdrop and sublimated by music, this mythical film showcases the grandiose landscapes of Latin America. Then, at the end of the journey, ideas germinated in Ernesto’s head: future « Che » Guevara. Guevara.

3. Little Miss Sunshine

Arguably one of the best films and documentaries on the subject of travel, Little Miss Sunshine brings a smile to the face, but also raises serious and moving family issues.

It’s the story of an endearing family of broken arms who embark on a road-trip to the United States for a few days. The idea? For the youngest daughter to enter – and win – California’s prestigious Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Who are our heroes? A drug-addicted grandfather, a success-obsessed father, a depressive brother-in-law, a mute grandson, a stay-at-home mom who’s a little on edge, and a bubbly, out-of-the-box daughter. The road-trip takes this merry band on a veritable voyage of initiation. The road turns their relationship upside down, hits them where it hurts and reveals each of the characters. Isn’t this what traveling is all about? A plunge into the depths of oneself, a kind of rebirth and an opportunity to work on oneself?

4. Paths to freedom

A marvel of intensity, courage and emotion. Les chemins de la liberté stirs. This travel film takes you to the heart of a risky and grueling ten-thousand-kilometer journey, during the escape of political prisoners in Siberia. One could almost call it a travel documentary, so strong and authentic are the historical references. Les chemins de la liberté is resolutely committed.

The cinematographic shots are nourished by powerful images and extreme landscapes that make us dream: the infinite steppes of Mongolia, the unshakeable Wall of China or the might of the Himalayas. This one-two punch is a hymn to freedom, resilience and humanity.

5. Home

When it comes to films and documentaries about travel, it’s hard not to mention Home. Although there’s no shortage of documentaries committed to the planet, set against a backdrop of extraordinary journeys, Home is a forerunner.

Already in 2009, this film highlighted the disastrous impact of human activity on the environment and the challenges that humanity will have to face in the future. Global warming, melting glaciers, dwindling resources, species extinction. Nevertheless, far from being leaden, Home is full of hope. The images are captivating, unfolding with a slowness that leaves room for contemplation. The irreproachable beauty of the scenes undoubtedly makes us travel and become aware of our wonderful homeland. As for the spine-chilling scenes, they startle, and so much the better!

6. Expedition Happiness

Let’s continue in the tradition of travel documentaries. Does Expeditions Happiness ring a bell?

This film tells the incredible story of a couple who give up everything to live in an old converted school bus. They set out to cross North and South America , from Alaska to Argentina. This road movie is a pure moment of escape and emotion. We become attached to these daring, offbeat, dreamy young people. We’re moved by the grandiose landscapes, and we hope as much as they do that they’ll reach the end of their dream. In short, we vibrate by proxy.

7. Seven years in Tibet

Admittedly, it’s not very young. But this film is a must-see. A film that marks another beautiful and moving entry in our ranking.

The extraordinary true story of a Nazi mountaineer who, in the midst of the turmoil of the Second World War, befriends the Dalai Lama. This Tibetan epic is lived against a dramatic backdrop, but reveals the beauty, never totally lost, of the human being. A true ode to humanity, nature, humility, forgiveness and the Himalayan people. Our hero is transformed by the Tibetans, and we’re equally taken with their spirituality. And let’s not forget the breathtaking scenery on the roofs of the world. It’s an intimate encounter with the mountains and a breath of fresh air from the comfort of your living room.

8. Wild

One of the best films and documentaries on travel is Wild. This biopic pays tribute to the voyage of initiation, to travel as a means of rising from the ashes.

Cheryl hits the road and embarks on a lonely and challenging adventure. This young woman is searching for resilience and answers to her past of addiction, emotional wounds and grief. Determined to rebuild her life, she sets out on America’s longest and wildest hiking trail: the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s easy to get swept along with our heroine as she traverses vibrant landscapes of dazzling beauty. We, too, enter into communion with nature and primitive contact with the elements.

9. Aboard the Darjeeling Limited

It’s time to embark on a completely improbable journey through India. This is a travel film, with a backdrop of bright colors and humor, that transports us to the heart of a country that both upsets and makes us grow.

Aboard the Darjeeling Limited is full of whimsy and tenderness, and takes us along to the whirring rhythm of a yellow train. In spite of themselves, the train takes three rather well-off and absurd brothers on a spiritual quest as only India can initiate. Here again, the film lets us experience travel as a fabulous vehicle for personal development. People finally and truly meet, open up to the world, resolve conflicts and evolve in the eyes of a people whose smiles are as big as their suffering.

So, turn on your TV and tell us which films and documentaries about travel transport you the most?