Screening and Q+A: A Century After Nanook
A color photograph of two people paddling a wooden kayak on a lake is overlaid with a faded black-and-white image of a single kayaker in the same setting, creating a layered past-and-present effect.
100 years after Robert Flaherty “introduced” the world to life in the Arctic with Nanook of the North in 1922, A Century After Nanook returns to that same community on the east coast of Hudson Bay in northern Canada to tell a very different story—one shaped by climate change, colonial traumas, and community resilience.
This Emmy-nominated, award-winning documentary offers a rare, community-led perspective on the profound environmental and cultural transformations unfolding in the Arctic. Produced in collaboration with local Inuit community members from the northern village of Inukjuak, the film documents everyday life alongside the accelerating impacts of Arctic warming—melting landscapes, shifting livelihoods, and the deep social consequences of environmental change.
The film speaks directly to contemporary climate debates, showing how one community is actively shaping its own future. In 2023, Inukjuak completed the world’s most northern run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam, transitioning from diesel dependence to nearly 100% renewable energy—an example of locally grounded climate solutions in action.
For audiences interested in cinema, the film also offers a powerful reflection on the legacy of early ethnographic filmmaking and the ethics of representation. Where Flaherty’s original film constructed an outsider’s vision of Arctic life, A Century After Nanook reclaims the narrative—placing storytelling in the hands of the community itself.
Co-produced by Kirk French, Neal Hutcheson, and Sarah Samisack, the film exemplifies a collaborative approach to filmmaking where research, storytelling, and community voice come together.
The screening will be followed by a Q/A with the anthropologist and filmmaker, Kirk French.
Event Information
- Date: This in person event will be held on Wednesday 17 June 2026 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm
- Location: Tower Cinemas | 183 King St, Newcastle NSW 2300
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.