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Nalujuk Night

Jennie Williams
2021 | 13 min
Nalujuk Night is an up close look at an exhilarating, and sometimes terrifying, Labrador Inuit tradition. Every January 6th from the dark of the Nunatsiavut night, the Nalujuit appear on the sea ice. They walk on two legs, yet their faces are animalistic, skeletal, and otherworldly. Snow crunches underfoot as they approach their destination: the Inuit community of Nain.

Despite the frights, Nalujuk Night is a beloved annual event, showing that sometimes it can be fun to be scared. Rarely witnessed outside of Nunatsiavut, this annual event is an exciting chance for Inuit, young and old, to prove their courage and come together as a community to celebrate culture and tradition.

Inuk filmmaker Jennie Williams brings audiences directly into the action in this bone-chilling black and white short documentary about a winter night like no other.

Awards and distinctions

  • Best Cinematography
    FOGFEST Horror Film Festival, St. John's
    2022
  • Best Score
    FOGFEST Horror Film Festival, St. John's
    2022
  • Honourable Mention for Best Director
    FOGFEST Horror Film Festival, St. John's
    2022
  • Honourable Mention for Audience Choice
    FOGFEST Horror Film Festival, St. John's
    2022
  • Best Short Documentary
    Canadian Screen Awards, Toronto
    2022
  • Best Atlantic Short Documentary
    FIN: Atlantic International Film Festival (HYBRID), Halifax
    2021
  • Kathleen Shannon Award
    Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton
    2021
  • Best of Festival
    Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton
    2021
  • Documentary Arts & Culture
    Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton
    2021