Unakuluk

Rooted in tradition, adoption is a reality which all Inuit families have experienced. In Inuit culture, adopting a child from a relative, friend or acquaintance is extremely common. Marie-Hélène Cousineau, the adoptive mother of Alexandre Apak, lived in Igloolik, a small island southwest of Baffin Island in the Arctic, for many years.

This documentary, which she directed in collaboration with Mary Kunuk (an old friend and colleague), explores Inuit family relations through the personal histories of women who have experienced adoption in one way or another. In a parallel thread, the film documents the creation of an intricate felt wall-hanging that depicts key moments from their lives. All skilled seamstresses, these women of Igloolik use fabric to draw, cut, and embroider their personal life stories – an intimate portrait of family ties and a vibrant illustration of the role adoption has always played in Inuit culture.

DIRECTOR(S): Marie Helene Cousineau, Mary Kunuk

PRODUCER(S): Arnait Video Productions

WRITER(S): Marie Helene Cousineau

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Natar Ungalaaq, Marie Helene Cousineau

EDITOR(S): Marie Helene Cousineau, Viviane Delisle

SOUND DESIGN: Oleksa Lozowchuk

YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 2005

DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION:

Arnait Video Productions, 5764 ave Monkland, Montreal QC, H4A 1E9 Canada, tel +1.514.486.0707 fax +1.514.486.9851 info [at] arnaitvideo [dot] ca

COUNTRY: Canada

REGION: Canadian Arctic

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