“Quitting” video inspires Nunavut students

Students in Nunavut have chosen “Quitting,” a short video filmed by three Inuit youth, as the most powerful story about the challenges and benefits of quitting smoking.

The short video came in first among seven tobacco clips, shown during “the Smoke Stories: Quit Clips by Inuit Youth” video screening contest, organized by the Inuit Tobacco-free Network.

“Quitting,” filmed by three Inuit youth, Kendra Tagoona of Ottawa, Crystal Navratil of Inuvik and Nancy Etok of Kangiqsualujjuaq, includes personal interviews: Vicky Chevrier talks about her feelings when she first saw pictures of a smoker’s lungs; Jeannie Pascal talks about her friend who quit smoking after 46 years; and Mahtoonah Argna’naaq shares how proud she is that her boyfriend is trying to quit.

“It gets easier and easier,” says Chevrier in the vido. “I’m doing everything I possibly can.”

This video also includes black and white images of cigarette packages and vintage footage about the harms of tobacco use.

Thirty-eight classrooms from 12 Nunavut middle and high schools viewed various video clips filmed by Inuit youth for the Inuit Tobacco-free Network, run by the Ottawa-based Inuit Tuttarvingat health organization.

Students then voted for the video which they thought had a powerful enough message to be aired on television. Many held group discussions about issues such as tobacco use, quitting smoking and the effect of second-hand smoke.

Students finally selected “Quitting” as their favourite video clip.

“This contest gave youth a chance to watch people’s stories about their decision to start smoking, the physical and emotional effects of smoking, and what inspired them to quit,” said Dianne Kinnon, the director of Inuit Tuttarvingat, in a March 24 news release.

Classes which participated in the video screening contest could win either a $500 gift card for book purchases or a flip video camera for their class.

Innujaq School in Arctic Bay won the grand prize, a $750 gift certificate to purchase books or equipment.

The filmmakers of the winning video were also awarded prizes for their creativity, the news release said.

You can watch the two-minute “Quitting” here or in English and Inuktitut on the Inuit Tobacco-free Network website. Until the end of the month it’s also being shown on CBC North as a public service announcement.