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Canku Ota |
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(Many Paths) |
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An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America |
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June 15, 2002 - Issue 63 |
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THE FAST RUNNER premeires in the US |
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by Jeff Lipsky President, Lot 47
Films
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Photos courtesy
LOT47 Films
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lot 47 Films and Igloolik Isuma Productions are extremely proud to announce the U.S. Premiere engagements of the first dramtic film ever made by an Inuit filmmaker in the native language of Inuktitut, the majestic, award-winning epic motion picture THE FAST RUNNER.
A.O. Scott of the New York Times wrote, "THE FAST RUNNER is a masterpiece. It is, by any standard, an extraordinary film, a work of narrative sweep and visual beauty that honors the history of the art form even as it extends its perspective. THE FAST RUNNER also abounds with humor and sensuality. The combination of dramatic realism and archaic grandeur is irresistibly powerful. THE FAST RUNNER includes some unforgettable sequences. The most astonishing scene has already become something of a classic, a word that will quickly be bestowed on the film as a whole."
Inuit storytelling stands as one of the world's oldest art forms. For 4,000 years the Inuit have passed all their knowledge, values, philosophy and culture from generation to generation without a written language. To keep listeners spellbound, the stories are naturally entertaining and suspenseful, carrying complex cultural information hidden within multiple layers of meaning. The first feature film ever made in the Inuit language, THE FAST RUNNER is part of this continuous stream of oral history. It is also a tribute to the immense natural beauty of the Arctic, capturing the vast expanse of sky, unique arctic light and the sprawling sea ice, tundra and rocky flatlands with austere, evocative beauty.
Atanarjuat, the Fast Runner, finds himself in love with the lovely Atuat. While she loves him in return, unfortunately, she has been promised to Oki, the boastful and bullying son of the camp leader. When Atanarjuat forces the issue, he violates the carefully observed customs of the community. In a timeless story, Oki sets out to gain revenge. For countless generations, Igloolik elders have kept the legend of Atanarjuat alive to teach young Inuit the dangers of setting personal desire above the needs of the group. It carries lessons for all of us.
THE FAST RUNNER will open throughout the United States (including Alaska) between June and September. For information about when it will arrive at a theatre near you please visit the Lot 47 web site (lot47.com) and click on the "Playdates" section of THE FAST RUNNER page. A sampling of the extraordinary early reviews for THE FAST RUNNER follows.
"The Fast
Runner is a masterpiece. It is, by any standard, an extraordinary film,
a work of narrative sweep and visual beauty that honors the history
of the art form even as it extends its perspective. The Fast Runner
also abounds with humor and sensuality. The combination of dramatic
realism and archaic grandeur is irresistibly powerful. The Fast Runner
includes some unforgettable sequences. The most astonishing scene has
already become something of a classic, a word that will quickly be bestowed
on the film as a whole." "Breathtaking!
Stunning! Mysterious, bawdy, emotionally intense, and replete with virtuoso
throat singing, this movie is engrossing from first image to last, so
devoid of stereotype and cosmic in its vision it could suggest the rebirth
of cinema. As the arctic light and landscape beggar description, so
the performances go beyond acting, and the production itself seems little
short of miraculous." "One of
the most beautiful movies ever made. In Kunuk's masterpiece, there's
barely a shot that doesn't radiate the divinity of life." "Matching
a myth of origins with the inception of a medium, Zacharias Kunuk suggests
the possibility of cinematic rebirth. A film of spectacular landscapes
and compelling storytelling." "A major
cinematic breakthrough. It has sweep and high drama. At its best, it
suggests Nanook of the North done by a Kurosawa disciple." "One of
the year's best films. A spectacularly beautiful and poetic morality
tale about love, murder and revenge in the icy, snowy far north." "An astonishing
epic film." "A mystical
arctic gem." "An astonishing
Inuit epic." WINNER CAMERA D'OR - 2001 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (UN CERTAIN REGARD)
WINNER BEST CANADIAN FEATURE - 2001 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER BEST PICTURE - 2001 SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER SEVEN GENIE NOMINATIONS (CANADIAN ACADEMY AWARDS)
"The film's
exploration of a rarely depicted world is stunning." "Visually
and thematically striking." "A romantic
adventure whose landscapes are as exhilarating as its story. It enlarges
our expectations of what film can be." "*****
(Highest Rating.) Attempting to find cinematic comparisons for the remarkable
Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) is - for the most part - futile. It has
more in common with Beowulf, The Odyssey or Chinua Achebe's Things Fall
Apart than anything ever before seen on the screen. It is an extraordinary
debut not just for a director but for an entire culture. A feature film
of epic proportions, like all classics, the tale is a universal one.
The cinematography is superb, the landscapes austere, the music incredibly
moving, the performances of the highest order. Kunuk directs with a
sensuous eye, offering one of the greatest chase scenes in the movies
one minute and one of the most erotic, realistic sex scenes the next.
Atanarjuat will make you laugh, make you cry and keep you on the edge
of your seat for nearly three hours. Isn't that what cinema was supposed
to do all along?" "Directed
by Zacharias Kunuk, the sublimely beautiful, near three-hour film is
not only dramatically gripping but, set against the backdrop of unique
natural landscapes, visually awe-inspiring."
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Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. | ||
Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry. |
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The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the |
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Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 of Paul C. Barry. |
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