Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk was born in 1957 on the land at Kapuivik, in the Igloolik area. In 1982, with proceeds from the sale of some of his soapstone carvings, Kunuk purchased his first video camera ,and in 1985 heproduced his first independent video, a 28-minute tape in Inuktitut called "From Inuk Point of View". From 1984 to 1990 he worked as senior producer for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation, where he produced more than thirty Inuktitut-language programs, including "Inuit Way of Dancing" (1985) and "Walrus Hunter" (1986). Since 1990, Kunuk has worked full-time as an independent producer through Igloolik Isuma Productions. Kunuk plans to produce a series of works devoted to Inuit history including, he says, one on the coming of the missionaries. "They came and told us to turn away from our old way of life so that we can be saved. I want to make that into a video so that our children and others can see what really happened, the breaking point when we went under the almighty dollar." Kunuk is also an internationally known sculptor whose carvings are in the permanent collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Short Bio:
Zacharias Kunuk is a renowned filmmaker whose dramatic feature films include Atanarjuat The Fast Runner, which won the Camera d’Or at the Cannes film festival in 2001, and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, codirected with Norman Cohn, which opened the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. Kunuk is the winner of a National Arts Award, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005. Earlier this year, Atanarjuat was voted the Best Canadian Film of all times by Toronto International Film Festival survey.
Digital Indigenous Democracy (2012-14), the CMF Experimental Fund $1M project to support multimedia "Inform and Consult" by Inuit in the 2012 Baffinland Iron Mine environmental impact hearings. DID was produced by Isuma Distribution International and was the artistic subject of the 2015 film, Attatama Nunanga: My Father's Land, co-directed by Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn.
DID produced 22 call-in radio shows and about 50 video interviews about mining that were introduced as a Formal Intervention into the 2012 Final Public Hearings and uploaded to the DID website www.isuma.ca/DID/humanrights.
See the newly released Hunting with My Ancestors live stream, behind the scenes conversation, https://www.facebook.com/isumaTV/videos/vb.434784510374/574465366337031/?type=2&theater¬if_t=page_post_reaction¬if_id=1539811309320841
Videography
Angakusajaujuq - The Shaman's Apprentice
2021, 21:00 minutes, Inuktitut, EN
One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk
2019, 113:00 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English with English, French Subtitles
Hunting With My Ancestors: Walrus Hunting Training Video
2018, 32:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English subtitles
Hunting With My Ancestors , Walrus Hunting Training Video
2018, 32:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English subtitles
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 7: Caribou Hunt With Peter Suwaksiork
2018, 32:27 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 6: Seal Pup Hunt
2018, 55:29 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 4: Kivitoo - What They Thought of Us
2018, 43:11 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 4: Kivitoo - What They Thought of Us
2018, 43:11 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 3: Dog Team Bear Hunt
2018, 29:58 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Hunting With My Ancestors Episode 2: Net Fishing Under the Ice
2018, 29:59 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Stories of Our Elders SEASON 1
2016, 154:42 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 28: The Man with the Long Hair
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 27: The Owl and the Caribou
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 26: The Fox and The Rabbit
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 25: The Raven and The Owl
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 24: The Owls and The Rabbits
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 23: The Lonely Woman and the Polar Bears
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 22: Tungujuluk and Saunikoq, The Walrus and The Bear
2016, 05:34 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 21: Isigaligarssik, The Man Without a Wife
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 20: Imarasugssuaq, The Man who Ate his Wives
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 19: Sedna, The Ruler of the Sea
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 18: Tiggak, The Bear and The Snow Bunting
2016, 05:30 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 17: Qimmikussualuk, The Giant Dog
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 16: Lumaaq, The Woman Who Tricked Her Stepson
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 15: Mahaha, The Tickle Monster
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 14: Arnaaluk, The Giant Woman
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 13: Atungakkuuk, The World Traveler
2016, 05:32 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 12: The Woman and The Auvvik
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 11: Anarteq, The Man Who Became a Fish
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 10: The Seagull Who Married the Raven
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 9: Kiviuyk and the Old Woman
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 8: The Little Orphan Girl
2016, 05:31 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 7: Caribou and the Polar Bear
2016, 05:30 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 6: Bow and Arrow
2016, 05:30 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 5: The Child Taken by the Troll
2016, 05:30 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 4: The Man on the Moon
2016, 05:33 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 3: The Troll Story
2016, 05:35 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 2: Kaujakjuk
2016, 05:30 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
Stories of Our Elders Ep. 1: Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting
2016, 05:36 minutes, Colour, Inuktitut, English, French
2016, 94:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut (with English or French subtitles)
Attatama Nunanga (My Father's Land)
2015, 163:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English subtitles
2015, 90:00 minutes, color, Inuktitut only /no subtitles
ISUMA INUIT CLASSIC COLLECTION: 1987-2009
2015, colour, Inuktitut, French & English subtitles
2013, 46:34 minutes, colour, Inuktitut and Cree with English subtitles
2012, 30:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English Subtites
Qapirangajuq: Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change (Le savoir inuit et les changes climatiques)
2010, 54:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English Subtitles (French subtitles also available)
2009, 07:23 minutes, colour, No dialogue, Closed Captioned
2009, 46:45 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w/English Subtites
2007, 45:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Unikkaat Sivunittinnit (Messages from the Past) CD
2007, colour
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner Sound Track CD
2007, colour
2007, colour
Exploring Inuit Culture Curriculum Gr. 4-6
2007, colour
2006, 08:47 minutes, colour, English and Inuktitut
Inuit Piqutingit (What Belongs to Inuit)
2006, 49:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English subtitles
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
2006, 112:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English, French s-t
2006, 46:49 minutes, colour, English
2005, 48:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English, French s-t
2004, 48:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English, French s-t
2003, 52:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English s-t
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner (companion book)
2001, colour
2001, 161:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut, English subtitles (dual layer BR)
2001, 52:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English subtitles only
2001, 52:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English subtitles
Nanugiurutiga (My First Polar Bear)
2000, 48:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut with English s-t
1999, 51:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English subtitles
1998, 52:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English subtitles
Episode 13: Quviasukvik (Happy Day)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
Episode 11: Tuktuliaq (Caribou Hunt)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
Episode 10: Qaisut (Polar Bear Island)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
Episode 9: Aiviaq (Walrus Hunt)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
Episode 8: Avamuktulik (Fish Swimming Back and Forth)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
Episode 7: Qulangisi (Seal Pups)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut w English or French subtitles
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Episode 4: Tugaliaq (Ice Blocks)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Episode 3: Qarmaq (Stone House)
1995, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
1994, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Episode 1: Qimuksik (Dog Team) - Nunavut
1994, 28:50 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
1993, 30:30 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Nunaqpa (Going Inland) (Marcher dans les terres)
1991, 58:15 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Qaggiq (Gathering Place) (Lieu de Rassemblement)
1989, 58:00 minutes, colour, Inuktitut
Critical Writing
by . ActiveHistory.ca, Mar 5, 2018. History Department at the University of Saskatchewan and Huron University College, 2018.
by . The Globe and Mail, May 29, 2015.
by . The Globe and Mail, Oct 19, 2010.
by . EYE WEEKLY, Mar. 26, 2009, v. 18, no. 20.
by . Toronto: V tape, 2009.
by . Artforum, Apr. 1, 2007, v. 38, no. 8.
by . Toronto: Vtape, 2007.
by . The Globe and Mail, Mar. 18, 2006.
by . The Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2006.
by . The Globe and Mail, Sept. 7, 2006.
by . The Toronto Star, Oct. 20 Fall, 2004.
by . American Anthropologist, Dec. 2003, v. 105, no. 4.
by . American Anthropologist, Dec. 2003, v. 105, no. 4.
by . American Anthropologist, Dec. 2003, v. 105, no. 4.
by . Now, Apr. 11, 2002, v. 21, no. 32.
by . The Toronto Star, Apr. 6, 2002.
by . The Globe and Mail, Apr. 12, 2002.
by . The Toronto Star, Apr. 12, 2002.
by . The New York Times Magazine, July 14, 2002.
by . The Toronto Star, Nov. 16, 2001.
by . Program - Video Pool Inc., Winnipeg, Nov. Fall 2000.
Toronto: Absolute Choice Curatorial Collective, 1999.
by . YYZ Books, McGill University, 1995.
by . Fuse, Spring 1993, v. 16, no. 2.
by . Revisions, 1992. Banff: Paperworks Press, 1992.
by . Land, Spirit, Power / First Nations at the National Gallery of Canada, Sept. 25, 1992. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1992.
by . Parallelogramme, 1991, v. 17, no. 1.