Isuma
Encyclopedia
Isuma is Canada
's first Inuit
(75%) production company
co-founded by Zacharias Kunuk
and Norman Cohn
in Igloolik, Nunavut
in 1990. The company focuses on bringing people of multiple age ranges, cultural backgrounds, and belief systems together to support and promote Canada's indigenous community
through television, the Internet and films. Isuma's mission is to produce independent community-based media aimed to preserve and enhance Inuit culture
and language; to create jobs and economic development in Igloolik and Nunavut; and to tell authentic Inuit stories to Inuit and non-Inuit audiences worldwide.
, also released as Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. It was a box office success around the world, and won the Caméra d'Or
for Best First Feature Film at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival
, six Genie
s (including Best Picture), and several other international film awards. The film had its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival
in 2001.
The massive critical success of Atanarjuat led to funding from Telefilm Canada
, enabling Isuma to begin development on multiple scripts. One of these, The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
, about the switch from shamanism
to Christianity
in Igloolik in the early 1920s, received the offer to open the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006.
Since Isuma means "to have a thought", the collaborators of Igloolik Isuma Productions encourage alternative and multimedia processes designed to make the world at large think not only about the Inuit and their current plight, but about indigenous peoples in general, and the future of the role of community in society. Much of the New World
’s wealth today was extracted from its Aboriginal citizens, who by every measure now are the most destitute populations in these countries. If the Inuit of Fast Runner ended up in 1922 in church, the Inuit of The Journals ended up in today’s newspapers stories, living in Third World
ghettos scattered across the wealthiest First World
nations.
Historically, how a country treats its indigenous people is an excellent gauge of its social and political views on humanism in general; what happens to the indigenous peoples of any given country is a sign of what will eventually happen to the dominant culture in time. Even today the law, education, religion and media continue to efface living memories of Aboriginal cultural history. As Norman Cohn says,
Isuma aims to increase awareness and focus about and for indigenous peoples of all cultures, not just Northern Canada
, through encouraging multimedia approaches. Their goal is to ensure that these rights are not compartmentalized, but rather include the awareness of human rights
in a larger cultural and holistic context: through exploration of spirituality, globalization, environmentalism, cinema, world media, and Native awareness.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's first 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...
(75%) production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
co-founded by Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk, is a Canadian Inuk producer and director most notable for his film Atanarjuat, the first Canadian dramatic feature film produced completely in Inuktitut...
and Norman Cohn
Norman Cohn (film producer)
Norman Cohn is an American born Canadian film director and producer best known for his work on films Atanarjuat and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen....
in Igloolik, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
in 1990. The company focuses on bringing people of multiple age ranges, cultural backgrounds, and belief systems together to support and promote Canada's indigenous community
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
through television, the Internet and films. Isuma's mission is to produce independent community-based media aimed to preserve and enhance Inuit culture
Inuit culture
Inuit describes the various groups of indigenous peoples who live in the central and northeastern Canadian Arctic, as well as in Greenland. The term culture of the Inuit, therefore, refers primarily to these areas; however, parallels to other Eskimo groups can also be drawn.The traditional...
and language; to create jobs and economic development in Igloolik and Nunavut; and to tell authentic Inuit stories to Inuit and non-Inuit audiences worldwide.
History
In 1999, the company filmed and produced the supernatural historical thriller AtanarjuatAtanarjuat
Atanarjuat is a 2001 Canadian film directed by Zacharias Kunuk. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in Inuktitut...
, also released as Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. It was a box office success around the world, and won the Caméra d'Or
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections ....
for Best First Feature Film at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, six Genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
s (including Best Picture), and several other international film awards. The film had its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
in 2001.
The massive critical success of Atanarjuat led to funding from Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry....
, enabling Isuma to begin development on multiple scripts. One of these, The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen is a 2006 Canadian-Danish film about the pressures on the traditional Inuit culture when explorer Knud Rasmussen introduces European cultural influences. Produced by Isuma, the film was directed by Zacharias Kunuk, who also directed the award-winning Inuit film...
, about the switch from shamanism
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Igloolik in the early 1920s, received the offer to open the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006.
Since Isuma means "to have a thought", the collaborators of Igloolik Isuma Productions encourage alternative and multimedia processes designed to make the world at large think not only about the Inuit and their current plight, but about indigenous peoples in general, and the future of the role of community in society. Much of the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
’s wealth today was extracted from its Aboriginal citizens, who by every measure now are the most destitute populations in these countries. If the Inuit of Fast Runner ended up in 1922 in church, the Inuit of The Journals ended up in today’s newspapers stories, living in Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
ghettos scattered across the wealthiest First World
First World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
nations.
Historically, how a country treats its indigenous people is an excellent gauge of its social and political views on humanism in general; what happens to the indigenous peoples of any given country is a sign of what will eventually happen to the dominant culture in time. Even today the law, education, religion and media continue to efface living memories of Aboriginal cultural history. As Norman Cohn says,
Save the seals and Save the bears seems more attractive than Save the people, but unless the rights of humans to live in their habitat are more widely recognized and protected it's a little fatuous to even dream about saving birds and animals.
Isuma aims to increase awareness and focus about and for indigenous peoples of all cultures, not just Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
, through encouraging multimedia approaches. Their goal is to ensure that these rights are not compartmentalized, but rather include the awareness of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
in a larger cultural and holistic context: through exploration of spirituality, globalization, environmentalism, cinema, world media, and Native awareness.
Isumatv
Isumatv is a video Internet portal. It is a video site dedicated to indigenous filmmakers and is a free service. The site hosts films that put forth an aboriginal view and is intended to help Native communities around the world become connected.Films
- AtanarjuatAtanarjuatAtanarjuat is a 2001 Canadian film directed by Zacharias Kunuk. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in Inuktitut...
(2000) - The Journals of Knud RasmussenThe Journals of Knud RasmussenThe Journals of Knud Rasmussen is a 2006 Canadian-Danish film about the pressures on the traditional Inuit culture when explorer Knud Rasmussen introduces European cultural influences. Produced by Isuma, the film was directed by Zacharias Kunuk, who also directed the award-winning Inuit film...
(2006) - Before TomorrowBefore TomorrowBefore Tomorrow is a Canadian drama film, released in 2008. Directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu, the film is an adaptation of the novel For Morgendaggen by Danish writer Jørn Riel...
(2008) - Exile (in production)
Unikaatuatiit (Story Tellers) series
- Qaggiq (Gathering Place, 1989)
- Nunaqpa (Going Inland, 1991)
- Saputi (Fish Traps, 1993)
Documentaries
- Alert Bay (1989)
- Attagutaaluk (Starvation, 1992)
- Qulliq (Oil Lamp, 1993)
- Nunavut (Our Land, 1994–95) 13 part TV series
- Piujuk & Angutautuk (1994)
- Sanannguarti (Carver, 1995)
- Nipi (Voice, 1999)
- Nanugiurutiga (My First Polar Bear, 2000)
- Ningiura (My Grandmother, 2000)
- Anaana (Mother, 2001)
- Ajainaa! (Almost!, 2001)
- Artcirq (2001)
- Arviq! (Bowhead!, 2002)
- Angakkuiit (Shaman Stories, 2003)
- Kunuk Family Reunion (2004)
- Unakuluk (Dear little one, 2005)
- Qallunajatut (Urban Inuk, 2005)
- KiviaqKiviaqKiviaq is a Canadian Inuit lawyer, politician, and former sportsman. He was the first Inuk to become a lawyer, and is responsible for several important advances in establishing the legal rights of the Inuit people; in 2001, he won the legal right to use his single-word Inuktituk name.Born outside...
vs. Canada (2006)