Passage (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
Passage is a 2008 documentary film partly based on the book Fatal Passage
about Sir John Franklin's lost expedition
through the Northwest Passage
. The film explores the fate of the doomed mission, including John Rae
's efforts to uncover the truth, and Lady Franklin's campaign to defend her late husband's reputation. The film also features Inuit
statesman Tagak Curley
, who challenges claims made by Lady Franklin, widely reported at the time, that Aboriginal people were responsible for the signs of cannibalism
among the remains of the doomed crew.
It premiered at the Hot Docs
film festival in Toronto, Canada in April 2008.
Passage has two main storylines. The first shows John Walker and crew, making an historical fiction film; it includes script readings, discussions and scenes from the film they are making. The second story line is completely non-fiction. It includes paintings with narratives, cast and crew visiting the places Rae knew (Orkney, the Arctic) and Inuit culture and experts.
The film was written, directed and narrated by John Walker. It stars Rick Roberts
as John Rae and Geraldine Alexander as Lady Franklin.
, who called the film "one of the great triumphs in Canadian documentary film history."
Fatal Passage
Fatal Passage: The Untold Story of John Rae, the Arctic Adventurer Who Discovered the Fate of Franklin is a book by Canadian historian and writer Ken McGoogan. It was first published in 2001.- Synopsis :...
about Sir John Franklin's lost expedition
Franklin's lost expedition
Franklin's lost expedition was a doomed British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain Sir John Franklin that departed England in 1845. A Royal Navy officer and experienced explorer, Franklin had served on three previous Arctic expeditions, the latter two as commanding officer...
through the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. The film explores the fate of the doomed mission, including John Rae
John Rae (explorer)
John Rae was a Scottish doctor who explored Northern Canada, surveyed parts of the Northwest Passage and reported the fate of the Franklin Expedition....
's efforts to uncover the truth, and Lady Franklin's campaign to defend her late husband's reputation. The film also features 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...
statesman Tagak Curley
Tagak Curley
Tagak Curley is an Inuit leader, politician and businessman from Nunavut. As a prominent figure in the negotiations that led to the creation of Nunavut, Tagak is considered a living father of confederation in Canada...
, who challenges claims made by Lady Franklin, widely reported at the time, that Aboriginal people were responsible for the signs of cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
among the remains of the doomed crew.
It premiered at the Hot Docs
Hot Docs
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
film festival in Toronto, Canada in April 2008.
Passage has two main storylines. The first shows John Walker and crew, making an historical fiction film; it includes script readings, discussions and scenes from the film they are making. The second story line is completely non-fiction. It includes paintings with narratives, cast and crew visiting the places Rae knew (Orkney, the Arctic) and Inuit culture and experts.
The film was written, directed and narrated by John Walker. It stars Rick Roberts
Rick Roberts (actor)
Rick Roberts is a Canadian actor. His most substantial role to date is as Donald D'Arby in the series Traders, for which he was nominated for a Gemini Award. He played Elizabeth Berkley's husband in the Lifetime made-for-television movie Student Seduction. Roberts has also appeared in L.A...
as John Rae and Geraldine Alexander as Lady Franklin.
Reception
It won two awards at the Atlantic Film Festival: Best Director-John Walker and Best Cinematography-Kent Nason and Nigel Markham. Passage also received the Grand Prize for Best Canadian Production at the Banff World Television Festival. Critical praise for the film included Martin Knelman of the Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, who called the film "one of the great triumphs in Canadian documentary film history."