More accolades for Atanarjuat

Zacharias Kunuk, the director of Atanarjuat, the first Inuktitut feature film, has been awarded the 2001 Banff Centre National Arts Award.

Kunuk, the sculptor-turned-filmmaker from Igloolik, will receive the Donald Cameron Bronze medal, $10,000 and two-weeks residency at the Banff Centre.

The award alternates among the Aboriginal, literary, media/visual, music, and performing arts.

Joanne Morrow, vice-president of The Banff Centre, said through the beauty of Atanarjuat, Kunuk brought back lost traditions and in doing so has put Aboriginal filmmaking on the map.

Atanarjuat will be screened during the 2002 Banff Arts Festival on July 28.