Stories from Igloolik: Indigenous Voices in Cinema

For the last four decades, Zacharias Kunuk has redefined filmmaking from the snow-capped hamlet of Igloolik, in Nuvanut, northern Canada, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Berlinale with his latest, the Generation 14plus entry Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband). Kunuk’s films—with all-indigenous casts and strong Inuit representation in crew members—are not just comprehensive archives of the Inuit way of life. They are also powerful reminders of the inalienable right to tell one’s own story without pandering to outside forces or sensibilities. His best-known work, 2001’s Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) was the first Canadian feature produced entirely in Inuktitut, and the production house he co-founded, Isuma Productions, is the first independent Inuit-led company of its kind in Canada. In this engaging public talk, the filmmaker opens up about his background and craft, the rise of Indigenous Cinema within and beyond Canada, his work at Isuma, and the importance of language and representation in cinema.