Le Voyage D'Inuk
Encyclopedia
Le Voyage d'Inuk is a Greenlandic language feature film
directed
by Mike Magidson and co-written by Magidson and anthropologist Jean-Michel Huctin. It is Magidson's first feature film. It premiered in Stockholm on 20 April 2010.
in the small town of Uummannaq
and was the source of inspiration of the two writers. The film is co-produced by Ann Andreassen, who also plays a role in the film. Anderassen has assisted with many foreign documentaries
shot in Greenland
. Mike Magidson had previously made two documentary movies in Greenland with her help before he and co-producer Jean-Michel Huctin decided to make a feature film
. They began shooting in April 2008 in Uummannaq Bay
and in Nuuk
and finished in November.
's south to its north as an homage to the origins of the Inuit
people. It is the coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Inuk (Gaaba Petersen), who was raised in the south in Greenland's capital Nuuk
, and who is torn between the violence of his alcoholic parents and his dreams of creating an Inuit rock band. He is sent to a foster home in the north, where his foster guardian and teacher, Aviaaja (Rebekka Jørgensen) sends him to the bear hunter Ikuma (Ole Jørgen Hammeken
) so that he may learn wisdom. But Ikuma had begun to doubt himself after his own world began to decline due to the effects of global warming
. This begins Inuk's difficult initiation into manhood through a journey by dogsled where the seal hunt replaces videogames
. On his journey he meets and is attracted to the rebellious Naja (Sara Lyberth). He finally reconciles his life, but in doing so re-awakens the old injury which had affected the life of Ikuma.
conditions with non-professional actors and a small crew. One of the main actors of the movie, Ole Jørgen Hammeken
arrived in France in time to view the screening and speak.
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Mike Magidson and co-written by Magidson and anthropologist Jean-Michel Huctin. It is Magidson's first feature film. It premiered in Stockholm on 20 April 2010.
Background
The "Children's Home Uummannaq" is situated 500 km north of the Arctic CircleArctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
in the small town of Uummannaq
Uummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. With 1,299 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the eleventh-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal...
and was the source of inspiration of the two writers. The film is co-produced by Ann Andreassen, who also plays a role in the film. Anderassen has assisted with many foreign documentaries
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
shot in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. Mike Magidson had previously made two documentary movies in Greenland with her help before he and co-producer Jean-Michel Huctin decided to make a feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
. They began shooting in April 2008 in Uummannaq Bay
Uummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. With 1,299 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the eleventh-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal...
and in Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
and finished in November.
Synopsis
Le voyage d'Inuk (Inuk) covers a journey from GreenlandGreenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
's south to its north as an homage to the origins of the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
people. It is the coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Inuk (Gaaba Petersen), who was raised in the south in Greenland's capital Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
, and who is torn between the violence of his alcoholic parents and his dreams of creating an Inuit rock band. He is sent to a foster home in the north, where his foster guardian and teacher, Aviaaja (Rebekka Jørgensen) sends him to the bear hunter Ikuma (Ole Jørgen Hammeken
Ole Jørgen Hammeken
Ole Jørgen Hammeken − born in 1956 in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, of Maritha and Motzflot Hammeken − is a Greenlandic explorer and social worker, based in Uummannaq, a town in northwestern Greenland.- Polar exploration:...
) so that he may learn wisdom. But Ikuma had begun to doubt himself after his own world began to decline due to the effects of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. This begins Inuk's difficult initiation into manhood through a journey by dogsled where the seal hunt replaces videogames
VideoGames
VideoGames may refer to:*VideoGames, a mid-1990s magazine about video games.*Video games in general....
. On his journey he meets and is attracted to the rebellious Naja (Sara Lyberth). He finally reconciles his life, but in doing so re-awakens the old injury which had affected the life of Ikuma.
Cast
- Ole Jørgen HammekenOle Jørgen HammekenOle Jørgen Hammeken − born in 1956 in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, of Maritha and Motzflot Hammeken − is a Greenlandic explorer and social worker, based in Uummannaq, a town in northwestern Greenland.- Polar exploration:...
as Ikuma - Gaaba Petersen as Inuk
- Rebekka Jørgensen as Aviaaja
- Sara Lyberth as Naja
- Inunnguaq Jeremiassen as Minik
- Elisabeth Skade as Inuk's Mother
Release
A preliminary screening was at salon du cinema de Paris 2009 while the movie was still being edited. The French film team was there to speak about the difficulties of shooting in polarPolar region
Earth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. The North Pole and South Pole being the centers, these regions are dominated by the polar ice caps, resting respectively on the Arctic Ocean and the continent of Antarctica...
conditions with non-professional actors and a small crew. One of the main actors of the movie, Ole Jørgen Hammeken
Ole Jørgen Hammeken
Ole Jørgen Hammeken − born in 1956 in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, of Maritha and Motzflot Hammeken − is a Greenlandic explorer and social worker, based in Uummannaq, a town in northwestern Greenland.- Polar exploration:...
arrived in France in time to view the screening and speak.