The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)

Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk conjures up the dramatic arc of an ancient Arctic folk epic and the cultural detail of Nanook of the North in a mesmerizing 3-hour tale of mysticism, betrayal, murder, revenge and survival in a relentlessly stark environment. We are introduced to the title character as a baby. An evil shaman enters the camp of his family, plunging the film into a universal clash between good and evil. This conflict manifests itself years later when Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq) pursues a relationship with a young woman (Sylvia Avalu) bequeathed to the son (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq) of the camp chief. Startling oscillations in human morality parallel the vivid contrast of claustrophobic igloo interiors with the wide expanse of the Canadian North in a rare, jaw-dropping communion of artistry and anthropology. The film includes a classic 10-minute throwback to The Naked Prey in which three armed clansmen chase a naked Atanarjuat across a field of ice.