Shaman’s Apprentice, Nalujuk Night win Canadian Screen Awards

Two Inuit-made films have walked away with Canadian Screen Awards honours, following a week of virtual awards ceremonies.

Widely considered the most prestigious prizes in Canadian film and television, the Canadian Screen Awards were presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television over multiple ceremonies starting April 4 culminating with a final show April 10.

Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman’s Apprentice, directed by Igloolik’s Zacharias Kunuk and produced by Nadia Mike of Iqaluit, was named Best Animated Short.

The film, from Taqqut Productions, tells the story of a young woman and her grandmother who seek the help of a shaman to heal a sick man.

“So thrilled to have been a part of this,” Mike tweeted, on learning of the film’s win.

“Interviewing Zach for hours, looking at pictures of traditional clothing & doing my fricken best to ensure I wrote very detailed notes to ensure his vision is translated into concept art. Quviana!” she said.

The award for Best Documentary Short went to Nalujuk Night, by director and photographer Jennie Williams, of Labrador.

The black-and-white film shows residents of Nain in the Nunatsiavut region of Labrador as they celebrate the annual appearance of the Nalujuit, animalistic creatures that emerge from the sea ice to greet the children of the community.

Meanwhile, throat singer Tanya Tagaq was nominated for Achievement in Music: Original Song for Surface Nord, co-written with Jean Martin for the film Bootlegger.

However, the award went to TiKA and Casey Manierka-Quaile for their song And Then We Don’t, from the film Learn to Swim.

In the special awards category, retired Inuk journalist Rassi Nashalik was honoured with the Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism.

For many years, Nashalik was host of CBC North’s Igalaaq, a daily Inuktitut television news program. In 2021, she became the first Inuk woman inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame.