Themes: Out For Revenge, Dangerous Attraction, Star-Crossed Lovers
Main Cast: Natar Ungalaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter Arnatsiaq, Pakkak Innukshuk
Release Year: 2001
Country: CA
Run Time: 161 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner is the first feature film in the Inuktitut language, spoken by the Inuit tribes of northern Canada. The film, based on an ancient Inuit legend, is set at the dawn of the millennium. It's an epic tale of love, betrayal, and revenge, set in motion by an evil force brought to the village of Igloolik by a mysterious shaman. Conceived by the late Paul Apak Angilirq, who co-wrote the screenplay, the film was shot on widescreen digital video by Norman Cohn (one of the few non-Inuit crew members on the shoot) and directed by Zacharias Kunuk. Kunuk and his crew meticulously re-created the conditions the Inuit tribes lived under before exposure to Southern influences, using information handed down from tribe elders and the journals of Captain William Edward Parry, a British explorer who visited the area in 1822. The film tells the story of Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaq), an unassuming young man who falls in love with Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu), whose hand has already been promised to the scheming Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq), the son of the tribal chief. Atanarjuat doesn't think he's strong enough to fight Oki, and relies on his older brother, the powerful Amaqjuaq (Pakkak Innukshuk), to look out for him. But eventually, the jealous Oki challenges Atanarjuat to a brutal contest for Atuat's hand. Atanarjuat wins, and weds his love, but his problems are far from over. While Atuat is pregnant, Oki's sister, the flirtatious Puja (Lucy Tulugarjuk), seduces Atanarjuat and becomes his second wife. She disrupts Atanarjuat's family from within while Oki plans his revenge. Atanarjuat the Fast Runner won the Camera D'Or at Cannes in 2001, and was selected for the 2002 New Directors/New Films Festival at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Review
Zacharias Kunuk's Inuit epic Atanarjuat the Fast Runner is a noteworthy cinematic accomplishment. The film has been critically heralded worldwide, not just for its unique subject matter, but also for its thrilling drama and gorgeous cinematography. Shot on digital video for a tiny fraction of what a typical Hollywood epic would cost, the film successfully thrusts viewers into the ancient frozen world of Inuit legend. The story starts quickly, with no unnecessary exposition, and it may confuse viewers in the early going. But they should be settled in by the time the story leaps forward into the adult life of Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaq). Kunuk and his crew spent a lot of time and effort reproducing the way their ancestors live, and the film offers a fascinating glimpse into the past customs of this brutal but strangely beautiful land. The stark setting of the film offers tremendous opportunities for drama, and thankfully, the focus of the film is less on anthropology than on classic storytelling. The period detail is seamlessly woven into a universally accessible tale. The performers, of whom only a few are experienced actors, do excellent work. Ungalaq, in the lead role, has an easygoing charm which gives way to grim determination as his woes mount. Pakkak Innukshuk, as Atanarjuat's older brother, Amaqjuaq, projects tremendous confidence and quiet strength, while Lucy Tulugarjuk is amusingly robust yet slippery as Puja. The film was clearly a labor of love for all involved, and their passion for the material is palpable in every frame. Atanarjuat the Fast Runner may seem like heavy sledding for the first few minutes, but those who stick with it will be well rewarded. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Cast
Natar Ungalaq - Atanarjuat
Sylvia Ivalu - Atuat
Peter Arnatsiaq - Oki
Pakkak Innukshuk - Amaqjuaq
Credit
Germaine Wong - Co-producer, Atuat Akkitirq - Costume Designer, Zacharias Kunuk - Director, Zacharias Kunuk - Editor, Marie-Christine Sarda - Editor, Norman Cohn - Editor, Sally Bochner - Executive Producer, Chris Crilly - Composer (Music Score), Zacharias Kunuk - Producer, Richard Lavoie - Sound/Sound Designer, Jean Paul Vialard - Sound/Sound Designer, Serge Boivin - Sound/Sound Designer, Paul Apak Angilirq - Screenwriter
