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Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

2002 · 172 min

An immersive, patient epic that pulls you into a harsh ancient world, blending raw human drama with mythic spirituality and stunning Arctic imagery.

Directed by
Zacharias Kunuk
Genres
Fantasy, Drama
Overview
Based on a local legend and set in an unknown era, it deals with universal themes of love, possessiveness, family, jealousy and power. Beautifully shot, and acted by Inuit people, it portrays a time when people fought duels by taking turns to punch each other until one was unconscious, made love on the way to the caribou hunt, ate walrus meat and lit their igloos with seal-oil lamps.

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Directed by
Zacharias Kunuk
Genres
Fantasy, Drama
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • earneststrength 3 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
  • warmstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • family
  • betrayal
  • revenge
  • survival
  • justice
Places
  • wilderness
  • small town
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • nonlinear
  • true story
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex strong
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action4
Horror3
Humour2
Realism7
Romance4
Tension6
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight8

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Cast

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Details

Genres
fantasy, drama
Directed by
Zacharias Kunuk
Written by
Herve Paniaq, Paul Apak Angilirq, Pauloosie Qulitalik, Zacharias Kunuk
Starring
Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Lucy Tulugarjuk, Pakak Innuksuk, Madeline Ivalu, Pauloosie Qulitalik, Eugene Ipkarnak
Music
Chris Crilly
Cinematography
Norman Cohn
Runtime
172 min
Country
Canada
Languages
Inuktitut

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