Robert Flaherty’s exposé of the daily lives of a family of Inuit Eskimos provides a rare glimpse into the trials and tribulations to be faced in the barren and severe landscape of Canada’s arctic region. Although the authenticity of the interactions captured by Flaherty’s lens have come under scrutiny, the film itself provides a portrayal of Inuit life rarely witnessed by western eyes.
Nanook of the North opens by introducing Nanook, the main protagonist and subject of the film. The explanatory titles interspersed within the film suffice to set up the changing scenes and provide background information to the viewer. In setting up the opening sequence, the title reads:
This picture concerns the life of one Nanook (The Bear), his family, and little band of followers, ‘Itivitmuits’ of Hopewell Sound, Northern Ungava, through whose kindliness, faithfulness, and patience this film was made.
From the outset, the gracious tone employed by the filmmaker’s titles suggests an affable friendship between the Flaherty and his subjects. This relationship becomes evident through the access which was granted to the filmmaker during intimate familial moments throughout the film.
Nanook of The North is proclaimed to be the first film of the genre “documentary”. Yet this claim is disputed, as the authenticity of the interactions and drama of the film are purported to have been staged. Even so, given the technology and filmmaking techniques of the time, any staged scenes can be chalked up as dramatic reenactments of everyday life. What cannot be contested is the fact that the subjects of the film were subjugated to extraordinary meteorological and geographical challenges, and braved such trials using the primitive tools of the Inuit culture.
Whether or not the events of this documentary were staged, or the life of the Inuit had been romanticized for the film, this film is an important part of film history, as it utilizes nonfictional events to illustrate a story of struggle and triumph of man over nature. The film’s legacy to film history comes not only from the on-screen activities of its subjects, but also from Flaherty’s filmmaking formula. Utilizing the combination of nonfictional characters and educational written content, Flaherty expanded the role of film from that of pure artistry, to that of an educational device. His pairing of appropriate music to match the onscreen drama further accentuates the point that educational content can double as entertainment. By putting forth this historical work, Flaherty, Nanook, and all of the Inuits depicted rightfully earned a place in film history, both as pioneers in a harsh Canadian environment, but also as pioneers of the art of filmmaking.
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