The Snow Walker
Encyclopedia
The Snow Walker is a 2003 Canadian film based on the short story "Walk Well, My Brother
" by Farley Mowat
. It was written and directed by Charles Martin Smith
and starred Barry Pepper
, James Cromwell
, and Annabella Piugattuk
.
Smith had played Mowat in his autobiographical story Never Cry Wolf
, and was invited by the Hollywood-shy author to adapt any of his works. Smith chose the short story "Walk Well, My Brother" because of its simplicity, placing two people against the elements of the Northwest Territories
, but incorporated elements from closely related Mowat stories in his screenplay. The movie cast Canadian actors in the primary roles and numerous Inuit
, including the lead actress Piugattuk. She was selected after the casting director reviewed hundreds of young women, many of whom were, like Piugattuk, non-actors. She was chosen for her fluency in both her native language and English, as well as her knowledge of native hunting and survival techniques, which brought verisimilitude to her role. Additionally, co-producer John Houston
grew up in an Inuit village.
Production took place in Merritt, British Columbia
, Churchill, Manitoba
and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
. The majority of the tundra scenes were filmed outside Churchill.
Walk Well, My Brother
Walk Well, My Brother is a short story written by Farley Mowat. This story was adapted in a movie titled The Snow Walker....
" by Farley Mowat
Farley Mowat
Farley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
. It was written and directed by Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith is an American film actor, writer, and director.-Early life:Smith was born in Van Nuys, California. His father, Frank Smith, was a film cartoonist and animator, while his uncle Paul J. Smith was an animator as well as a director for the Walter Lantz Studios...
and starred Barry Pepper
Barry Pepper
Barry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
, James Cromwell
James Cromwell
James Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A...
, and Annabella Piugattuk
Annabella Piugattuk
Annabella Piugattuk is a Canadian Inuit actress, notable for her role in The Snow Walker. Piugattuk was raised in Igloolik, a village with a population of 1,286 in the Nunavut territory of Canada...
.
Smith had played Mowat in his autobiographical story Never Cry Wolf
Never Cry Wolf (film)
Never Cry Wolf is a 1983 American drama film directed by Carroll Ballard. The film is an adaption of Farley Mowat's 1963 autobiography of the same name and stars Charles Martin Smith as a government biologist sent into the wilderness to study the caribou population, whose decline is believed to be...
, and was invited by the Hollywood-shy author to adapt any of his works. Smith chose the short story "Walk Well, My Brother" because of its simplicity, placing two people against the elements of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, but incorporated elements from closely related Mowat stories in his screenplay. The movie cast Canadian actors in the primary roles and numerous 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...
, including the lead actress Piugattuk. She was selected after the casting director reviewed hundreds of young women, many of whom were, like Piugattuk, non-actors. She was chosen for her fluency in both her native language and English, as well as her knowledge of native hunting and survival techniques, which brought verisimilitude to her role. Additionally, co-producer John Houston
John Houston
John Houston is the name of:* John Houston * John Houston , Pioneer newspaperman and politician from British Columbia, Canada* John Houston , New Zealand historian and writer...
grew up in an Inuit village.
Production took place in Merritt, British Columbia
Merritt, British Columbia
Merritt is a city in the Nicola Valley of the south-central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Situated at the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater rivers, it is the first major community encountered after travelling along Phase One of the Coquihalla Highway and acts as the gateway to all...
, Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
and Rankin Inlet, 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...
. The majority of the tundra scenes were filmed outside Churchill.
Cast
- Barry PepperBarry PepperBarry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
as Charlie Halliday - Annabella PiugattukAnnabella PiugattukAnnabella Piugattuk is a Canadian Inuit actress, notable for her role in The Snow Walker. Piugattuk was raised in Igloolik, a village with a population of 1,286 in the Nunavut territory of Canada...
as Kanaalaq - James CromwellJames CromwellJames Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A...
as Walter "Shep" Shepherd - Kiersten WarrenKiersten WarrenKiersten Nicolla Dale Warren is an American actress, best known for her role as Alex Tabor on Saved by the Bell: The College Years and as Nora Huntington on season 3 of Desperate Housewives.-Life and career:...
as Estelle - Jon GriesJon GriesJonathan Francis "Jon" Gries is an American actor, writer and director. He is also credited under the names Jon Francis and Jonathan Gries. He is known for his role in Napoleon Dynamite as Uncle Rico, and more recently as recurring character Roger Linus on Lost...
as Pierce - Robin DunneRobin DunneRobin Dunne is a Canadian actor who is mainly known for having had numerous leading roles in sequels throughout his career, and lately for his role as Doctor Will Zimmerman in the cult Science fiction Television series, Sanctuary....
as Carl - Malcolm ScottMalcolm ScottMalcolm Fox Scott , was an Australian politician and government minister.Scott was born in Western Australia and was a farmer and had extensive mining interests before entering parliament....
as Warren - Michael BubléMichael BubléMichael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
as Hap
External links
- The Snow Walker at Infinity Media