For some, remaining still is not an option. The Fifth Sun follows one such individual, Panu, a former firefighter with a streak of wanderlust and desire to perpetually be moving, on a road trip from Finland to Australia to witness a full solar eclipse. In an attempt to understand what drives this passion to travel so unrestricted, directors Matteo Maggi and Cristiana Pecci jumped in a van to document this trip through Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and finally to Australia, facing challenges at border crossings, acquiring visas, seeking medical care, and navigating foreign roadways.
Part of the thrill and excitement of a nomadic lifestyle is the unexpected—the places you accidentally end up, the people you meet, the cultural traditions you discover. But for the filmmakers, the unexpected forced them to reconsider their role in this journey and their obligation to the original goal.-MR