Friday Films: Atanarjat

A film screening of Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001); 2 hr 52 m; Rated R; closed captioning available.

Set in the ancient past, the film retells an Inuit legend passed down through centuries of oral tradition. It revolves around the title character, whose marriage with his two wives earns him the animosity of the son of the band leader, who kills Atanarjuat's brother and forces Atanarjuat to flee by foot.

This Canadian film was directed by Inuk filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and produced by his company Isuma Igloolik Productions. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in the Inuktitut language.

"It is unlike anything most audiences will ever have seen, and yet it tells a universal story. What’s unique is the patience it has with its characters: The willingness to watch and listen as they reveal themselves, instead of pushing them to the front like little puppets and having them dance through the story." - Roger Ebert, Roger Ebert

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Host or Publisher Parker Hill Branch - Boston Public Library