Canadian Premiere
Set against the striking mountains and fjords of northern Norway, Árru follows reindeer herder Maia as a proposed copper mine threatens the land and livelihood her Sámi community has protected for generations. Seeking help in their fight against the development, Maia and her brother Dánel turn to their politically connected uncle Lemme. But his return brings long-buried memories to the surface, forcing Maia to confront painful truths within her family — and the traditions that have shaped her community.
The vibrancy of the community at the heart of Árru is brought to life through musical sequences, traditional yoik singing, family, and ceremony, even as an underlying darkness settles within Maia’s home. As the fight to protect the land intensifies, Maia must reckon with the difficult realities of protecting a community while confronting harm from within it. Lyrical, grounded, and deeply moving, Árru is a powerful reflection on cultural perseverance, collective responsibility, and a new generation fighting to protect both their community and the land that sustains it.
Community Partner
Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Simon Issát Marainen, Ayla Gáren Nutti, Mikkel Gaup
Norway/Sweden/Finland
2026
In North Sami with English subtitles
Coarse language; nudity
Open to youth at Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island & SFU Woodwards
At Fifth Ave
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Producer
Elisa Fernanda Pirir
Screenwriter
Johan Fasting, Elle Sofe Sara
Cinematography
Cecilie Semec
Editor
Michał Leszczyłowski
Production Design
Otto Lume
Original Music
John Erik Kaada
Elle Sofe Sara
Elle Sofe Sara is a choreographer, director, and filmmaker from Guovdageaidnu, Sápmi/Norway. She creates innovative works that blend Sámi physicality, spirituality, and yoik across film and performance. In recent years, Sara has toured internationally with the performance The Answer Is Land, produced by Elle Sofe Company, and created the yoik ballet Láhppon/Lost, commissioned by the Norwegian National Ballet. Her debut feature film, Árru (2026), is the world’s first Sámi yoik drama.
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