| Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Inuktitut | ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ |
| Directed by | Zacharias Kunuk |
| Written by | Paul Apak Angilirq |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Norman Cohn |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Chris Crilly |
| Distributed by | Odeon Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 172 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | Inuktitut |
| Budget | CA$1.9 million |
| Box office | $5.9 million |
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (Inuktitut: ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ) is a 2001 Canadian epic film directed by Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and produced by his company Isuma Igloolik Productions. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in the Inuktitut language.
Set in the ancient past, the film retells an Inuit legend passed down through centuries of oral tradition. It revolves around the title character, whose marriage with his two wives earns him the animosity of the son of the band leader, who kills Atanarjuat's brother and forces Atanarjuat to flee by foot.
The film premiered at the 54th Cannes Film Festival in May 2001, and was released in Canada on 12 April 2002. A major critical success, Atanarjuat won the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at Cannes, and six Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture. Atanarjuat was also a commercial success, becoming Canada's top-grossing release of 2002, outperforming the mainstream comedy Men with Brooms. It grossed more than US$5 million worldwide. In 2015, a poll of filmmakers and critics in the Toronto International Film Festival named it the greatest Canadian film of all time. It also topped the CBC's 2023 list of The 50 Greatest Films Directed by Canadians.[1] The film was selected as the Canadian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
- ^ "CBC Arts Presents: The 50 Greatest Films Directed By Canadians". CBC Arts. CBC. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.