Angotee : Story of an Eskimo Boy

During the short Arctic summer on Baffin Island, the native Inuit enjoys four months of continuous daylight. But it is no time for relaxation, for provision must be made for the long, cold winter night ahead. In this film Idlouk, an Inuit hunter, tells of his life in this northern land. We watch as he stalks the seal so vital to his existence, and as he and other hunters set out in kayaks to harpoon the white whale and the narwhal. At camp we meet his wife, children and aged parents, each of whom has work to do in the unceasing struggle for survival in this harsh land.

Released in 1977, this beautifully paced short was photographed, directed, edited and narrated by Mosha Michael - one of Canada's first Inuk filmmakers. Michael offers a first-hand account of a three-week Arctic hunting excursion, a rehabilitative trip undertaken by young offenders from Baffin Correctional Centre, Ikajurtauvik (Inuktitut for a place where help is received) and their families. Dropping anchor at various points throughout Frobisher Bay, they fish for cod, hunt for seal and caribou, and renew family and community ties. Shooting on a Super 8 camera and providing his own narration, Michael crafts an engaging document of Inuk life in the 1970s. An original score features music and songs in Inuktitut by Kowmageak Arngnakolak and Michael himself. This film contains scenes of animal slaughter.

A demonstration of igloo-building in Canada's Far North, showing how the site is selected and how blocks of snow are used to make a snug shelter in only an hour and a half. As the camera follows each stage, the commentary explains the process.