This feature documentary tells the story of 2 Inuit communities of the circumpolar north—one on Canada’s Baffin Island, the other in Northwest Greenland—that are linked by a migration led by an intrepid shaman. Navarana, an Inughuit elder and descendant of the shaman, draws inspiration and hope from the ties that still bind the 2 communities to face the consequences of rapid social and environmental change.
Click here for the Inuktitut version, Katinniq
Click here for the Greenlandic version, Katinngat
Ages 12 to 18
Geography - Human Geography
Geography - The Arctic
Indigenous Studies - Identity/Society
Media Education - Documentary Film
Vanishing Point emphasizes how important ancestry is to personal identity, and how family history and culture are intertwined. How are the journeys of Qitdlarssuaq and Navarana intertwined? “More and more, life runs on gasoline and sugar” (36:00): discuss how this quote, and the grocery store clip that follows, highlight the tension between maintaining tradition and modernization. Vanishing Point is considered “cinéma vérité”: what are the qualities of this filmmaking technique and how is it an appropriate description for this film?