Join us for an intimate conversation with legendary filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk, who made history as the first Inuk to produce a feature film. His masterpiece Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner didn’t just win the Caméra d’Or at Cannes — it shattered stereotypes, becoming Canada’s highest-grossing film of 2002 and opening doors for more authentic voices that had been largely absent from mainstream cinema.Through his production company Isuma, Kunuk has revolutionized Indigenous storytelling, proving that the most powerful cinema comes from authentic voices telling stories in their own language — by the people who lived them.
This remarkable conversation will explore groundbreaking community-based filmmaking, cultural preservation through cinema, and how to challenge industry norms with authentic storytelling. Hear from a visionary filmmaker who bridges ancient traditions and contemporary cinema, inspiring filmmakers worldwide.
Moderated by Siku Allooloo.
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Guest
Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk has directed more than 30 documentaries and feature films including Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001 Cannes Camera d’Or), which was named the “best Canadian film of all-time” in a 2015 TIFF critics’ poll. In 2003, he founded the distribution company Isuma Distribution International, to allow Inuit audiences better access to Inuktitut film and video, and in 2008, he introduced the website www.isuma.tv. In 2015, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2019, an Officer of the Order of Nunavut.
Filmography: Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001); The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006); Searchers (2016); Kivitoo: What They Thought of Us (2018); One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk (2019)