Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2002) poster6

Canada10 Essential Canadian FilmsStop 6 of 10

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ

2002 · 172 min · Fantasy

Drawn from an ancient Inuit legend, this epic follows a young hunter in the Arctic whose love and rivalry set off a cycle of jealousy and vengeance within his community. Acted entirely by Inuit performers, it is a landmark of Indigenous cinema.

Why it’s here

Zacharias Kunuk’s Inuit epic is rooted in Igloolik, Nunavut, and dramatizes an Inuit oral tradition through an Inuit-led Canadian production.

Runtime
172 min
Genre
Fantasy · Drama
Mood
thoughtful · dreamlike · uplifting
Entry
challenging
Best for
character-driven drama
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Part of 10 Essential Canadian Films

This film is stop 6 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through Canada. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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