Isuma: Inuit Video Art (Volume 52) (McGill-Queen's Native and Northern Series)

Since director Zacharias Kunuk was awarded the Camera d'Or Award at Cannes in 2001, Igloolik Isuma Productions has been among the most well-known and influential indigenous film companies in the world. Isuma's premier movie, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) - the first-ever feature film produced by the Inuit and presented entirely in the Inuktitut language - has received numerous awards and critical acclaim. "In Isuma Michael Evans explores multiple aspects of the production company's filmmaking, including its cultural and political stances, its embrace of folklore and respect for ancestors, and its role in the Arctic community of Igloolik. In-depth interviews with the people of Isuma and a thoughtful analysis of their films reveal how the producers combine their vision of Inuit wisdom and honour with the demands of modern filmmaking to create compelling and visually stunning films that share Inuit culture with an international audience. Isuma: Inuit Video Art is a pragmatic, comprehensive and accessible study, bringing Isuma's Arctic to life while positioning its efforts within a larger frame of indigenous media and cultural expression." Annotation Since winning the Camera d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, Igloolik Isuma Productions has been among the most well-known and influential indigenous film companies in the world. Isuma's premier movie, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) - the first-ever feature film produced by the Inuit and presented entirely in the Inuktitut language - has received numerous awards and critical acclaim. In Isuma: Inuit Video Art Michael Evans explores multiple aspects of the production company's filmmaking, including its cultural and political stances, its embrace of folklore and respect for ancestors, and its role in the Arctic community of Igloolik. In-depth interviews with the people of Isuma and a thoughtful analysis of their films reveal how the producers combine their vision of Inuit wisdom and honour with the demands of modern filmmaking to create compelling and visually stunning films that share Inuit culture with an international audience. Isuma: Inuit Video Art is a pragmatic, comprehensive and accessible study, bringing Isuma's Arctic to life while positioning its efforts within a larger frame of indigenous media and cultural expression Contents Acknowledgments 1 Reflections in the Ice 2 Igloolik Isuma 3 Inuit Video as Folklore 4 Isuma’s Artists 5 Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner 6 Streams of Culture 7 Video as Socio-Political Endeavour 8 Netsilik and Nanook vs Nunavut 9 Video in Politics 10 Video as Community 11 Light through the Ice Glossary Notes References Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Explores aspects of Igloolik Isuma Productions' filmmaking, including its cultural and political stances and its embrace of folklore and respect for ancestors. This book reveals how the producers combine their vision of Inuit wisdom and honour with the demands of filmmaking to create films that share Inuit culture with an international audience.