#zachariaskunuk

[adamwatchesmovies]

Reel Injun (2009)

I'm worried some will hear the premise of Reel Injun and be turned away. This documentary about the representation of Native Americans in film does not seek to guilt or shame anyone, only to educate and entertain. You don’t need to have a stake in the issue to find it enjoyable.

Directed by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond as well as Catherine Bainbridge and Jeremiah Hayes, Reel Injun shows Diamond traveling through North America, visiting film and historical locations to explore the way Native Americans have been portrayed on-screen throughout the years. To properly examine Hollywood stereotypes such as the Noble Savage and the Drunken Indian, and recent trends in movies, he sits down with people like Clint Eastwood, Adam Beach, film critic Jesse Wente and others.

This could have easily been a bitter, angry film, but it isn’t, which shows a lot of strength on the filmmaker's part. I don’t know if I could’ve watched hours and hours’ worth of footage of my people depicted as barbarians ready to be slaughtered by cowboys and come out with a positive attitude about it, but Diamond does. The film walks a delicate line, showing clips that are simultaneously funny and offensive. You find them off-putting but (like Diamond) manage to find the laughs in them.

As any good documentary does, Reel Injun enlightens. More importantly, it’s fun to watch. You don’t realize how much film influences people until you see a bunch of extremely white and thoroughly earnest children pay tribute to “Indians” by imitating characters they’ve seen in decidedly un-politically correct films. You don’t know if you want to correct them and possibly ruin their fun, or let them go along with their game of make-believe in the hopes that they discover what the people they’re so enamored with are really like on their own.

If you’re a fan of cinema, there’s a lot of interesting history here. I found a short segment about headbands downright fascinating. Headbands? Yes. One of the most memorable sections of this picture looks at the films of old and asks “Why do these people look like this in every movie?” The answers are alternatively embarrassing and hilarious. If you’re intrigued by Aboriginal films, there are some good recommendations throughout (though the picture is a little bit too much in love with Atarnajuat: The Fast Runner for my taste). It also makes you think.

At times, Reel Injun moves too quickly or doesn’t properly explain things, which might make those who aren't intimately familiar with Native American affairs feel a bit lost. It’s also prone to spoiling big events in the films it refers to, which I have mixed feelings about. With the occasional lack of context for people and events, this might make it more for those who already care than those who don't. It’s still worth catching and even if you have no idea what they're referring to, context mostly fills in the blanks.

If you’re passionate about the portrayal of Native Americans in film, you like movies, or you want to see someone speak about political correctness without making you feel guilty about what privileges you may or may not have, Reel Injun is a great pick. Rent it, along with some of the pictures it discusses, and you’ve got a combination of films that elevate each other. Invite a bunch of friends, set some time to discuss them and you’ve got a full day's worth of entertainment. (On DVD, July 8, 2016)

[scarecrow-is-my-boyfriend]

Searchers, a reimagining of the John Ford film, is a slow burn. But the kidnapped wife, Ailla, brings the film to life for me. She will kick and punch and pull her attacker's hair, she will untie the knots as he ties them, she will run away while he sleeps, she will take the hot tea asked for and throw it in his face. I want to see more of her in movies.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)

Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner has undeniable historical significance. Its cinematography, the way it immerses you into the Inuit's culture, the clear passion throughout deserve praise. It's a good film that could have been great with a few tough, but necessary calls that would've made it more accessible to those who don't already know the legend. Or maybe that's what makes it great.

Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq, very good in his performance) is betrayed by his second wife, Puja (Lucy Tulugarjuk). She conspires with her brother Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq) to have Atanarjuat murdered. In the ensuing chase, Atanarjuat must return to his people to save his first wife, Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu), and get his revenge upon those who have wronged him, and heal his community.

This picture was made by the Inuit people, for them. For untold generations, this story had only been told orally. Now it lives forever, captured on film. If you’re not already familiar with this story, it's hard to keep up with it. There are many characters, some of which seem important at first, but disappear as the plot unfolds. Atanarjuat’s older brother Amajuaq (Pakak Innuksuk) is married, but his wife only appears in the picture for a couple of scenes and then vanishes. The story is made difficult to follow because it's hard to tell one character from another. Everyone is covered head-to-toe with grey, white, and black parkas. Unless you can speak Inuktitut your attention will be divided between the bottom of the screen and the main action. Everything about the film is wholly authentic, but would it have been a betrayal to give key characters a piece of jewelry to wear around their neck, or maybe a scar on the bad guy’s cheek to make him stand out?

You can tell this is a dream come true for director Zacharias Kunuk. Atanarjuat is an epic that lasts 2 hours and 47 minutes. It feels as though every iteration of the story has been combined to form a "truer" tale that also maintains a certain mythical quality (which explains why most characters feel human while the main villain is wholly evil). It's fascinating to watch because it's unlike anything you've seen before. Through this one myth, you get a strong impression of what this culture is like. You experience virtually every aspect of Inuit life, from childhood to romance, their equivalent of a judiciary system, folk songs, even jokes.

Norman Cohn's cinematography makes Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner feel uniquely surreal, and documentary-like at once. It's like the cameras just happened to be there when the greatest hero the Inuit people ever knew had his greatest adventure. While you’re probably hearing this tale for the first time, elements of it are common to every culture. Overall, it’s not that difficult to follow if you put yourself in the mindset of myth/fairy tale, or (and I recommend this so you have an easier time following the movie) you familiarize yourself with the events of this legend ahead of time.

For many, the story behind the film will resonate with them. Writing the script wasn't as easy as sitting down and re-reading a childhood-favorite novel. Getting the funding necessary from the National Film Board of Canada was a struggle. Ensuring the language - largely forgotten by everyone except elders - was accurately captured was an enriching experience that brought those involved back to their roots. For the rest, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner takes some getting used to. You might need to sit down and watch it more than once, which can feel like a lot when you look at the running time. As I sit with it now, I can feel my enthusiasm for the film growing. I'll return to it someday. (Original Inuktitut with English subtitles, On DVD, July 8, 2016)