Future brightens for Nunavut film makers

GREG YOUNGER-LEWIS

Nunavut’s film luminaries are daring to dream of larger audiences and better business, now that the territorial government is backing their demands.

Two years ago, Nunavut filmmakers referred to themselves as an “invisible minority” – neglected by politicians, and falling behind their potential in promoting movies connected to Inuit and the territory.

John Houston, president of the Ajjiit Nunavut Media Association representing the local industry, changed his tune last week, during a symposium and film festival in Iqaluit.

Houston heaped praise on the government for creating a film policy, which established the Nunavut Film Commission last year. That office runs a subsidy program worth at least $650,000, to help fledgling movie businesses with ties to Nunavut, and entice established film companies to shoot movies in the region.

“Two years ago, we wouldn’t have believed it,” Houston said after his speech at the Frobisher Inn on April 29.

“It’s like a dream come true.”

Houston challenged other delegates at the 2005 Nunavut Film Industry Forum to make the most of the momentum, sparked by the government’s recent efforts to support their projects.

During the four-day event, delegates mentioned several challenges in making movies, documentaries or other media projects in Nunavut.

The territory’s distance from other markets, such as the U.S., is making it difficult for Nunavut to compete with other provinces, like Manitoba. Those areas have direct road connections and offer more affordable plane travel to American companies.

Houston said filmmakers are more likely to do work in those provinces because they offer predictable refunds for hiring local workers, as well.

Nunavut has labour rebates, but filmmakers find the refunds are unreliable, because there’s a limited amount available. In turn, the government can’t guarantee giving cash back to the companies, like other provinces do.

However, Houston is hopeful that industry and the government can fix the problem, and move on to taking advantage of what he calls Nunavut’s greatest strengths in filmmaking – the land and its people.

“Nunavut has people like no other people on earth,” Houston said. “Nunavut has locations like no other locations on Earth.

“I think what we have to do is look inside and figure out what our strengths are, not try to be anyone else.”

Nunavut and the eastern Arctic have carved out their own spot on the silver screen since John Flaherty’s famous 1922 documentary, Nanook of the North was filmed in northern Quebec. In 1973, Paramount Pictures came to Iqaluit to film White Dawn, a story based on a book by Houston’s late father, James Houston.

Since then, Inuit filmmaking received international acclaim in 2001, with the release of Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner.

David Simailak, Nunavut’s minister of economic development, said making films is a “natural” endeavor for Inuit because their culture has strong traditions of oral story-telling.

But Simailak said he’s backing the film industry because it will create jobs and business opportunities, either through filming at locations around the territory, or promoting Nunavut to southern audiences.

Moreover, he’s willing to tinker with the government’s film policy, including the rebate program.

“I want industry to tell us where the industry should go,” Simailak said. “We do need to review, revise and improve the film development policy.

“That’s what we’re committed to doing.”

TeleFilm Canada, the federal Crown corporation in charge of helping the Canadian film industry, showed they were ready to throw their weight behind Nunavut as well.

David Craig, a TeleFilm representative for Nunavut and Ontario, said in an interview after the meeting that the federal agency would be working more with the territory’s filmmakers as the local industry grows. That would include help with funding, he said.

But Craig said the industry should help itself, as well. They should plan for changes in technology in the next few years, such as increased distribution through DVDs, which could lower costs, and increase accessibility.

“Policy doesn’t always just mean how to divide the pie, and what’s available in money,” Craig said after the meeting. “It starts with a vision of the future and how you want the citizens of Nunavut to benefit from their stories appearing on their screens, and their web sites.”

Last week’s forum was the first of its kind in Nunavut, involving government sponsorship and several days of workshops with groups like the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

Organizers said they aim to host the forum annually.