About the Beginning

I’ve read many reviews that comment negatively about the confusing beginning of the film. I think, however, it’s part of Kunuk’s genius. Think for a minute first: might Kunuk have reasons for having the final version of the film exactly how it is? He could have created it differently, but didn’t.

No opening credits—just pulls you right in. If you’re not Inuit you are totally lost at first. It’s hard to tell everyone apart, you can’t even match the subtitled names with what you’re hearing, you struggle to follow what’s happening. Then, the film develops and you perhaps begin to put things together and find yourself getting more interested as the simple plot becomes become clearer and you are oriented. By the murderous turning point of the story in the middle, you may notice that the plot, characters, and everything are actually complex and gripping and invite you to become fully immersed. This is deliberate and brilliant. Why should you expect to fully understand and feel comfortable with your first few minutes ever of contact with the Inuit? Think about how much better that works than a Hollywood 5-minute opening credits introductory sequence that flies you in from New York or wherever into the beautiful Arctic landscape complete with majestic ice, cute polar bears, penguins (ah, Hollywood) and a few paragraphs of “A long time ago in an ancient Artic society where blah, blah, blah . . .”

Although this is a film about the Inuit for the Inuit, it offers outsiders an opportunity to venture into a new world for everyone else. That’s a choice the viewer needs to make on their own, though Kunuk does well to both make it a struggle and make it enticing. Understanding others is not a simple thing, but it’s part of an amazing, never-ending journey if you decide to venture forth.