Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
Seen it?2002 | 172 min | Fantasy, Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes), despite little lasting buzz. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for fantasy fans. If you loved The Northman or The Last of the Mohicans, start here.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 52 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's long: 2 hr 52 min.
- It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Based on a local legend and set in an unknown era, it deals with universal themes of love, possessiveness, family, jealousy and power. Beautifully shot, and acted by Inuit people, it portrays a time when people fought duels by taking turns to punch each other until one was unconscious, made love on the way to the caribou hunt, ate walrus meat and lit their igloos with seal-oil lamps.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91 on Metacritic
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsSolid
Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Best Feature Film. Also nominated for 1 Independent Spirit Award. Plus 18 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$6 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 41K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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Cast & crew
Directed by Zacharias Kunuk
- Natar UngalaaqAtanarjuat
- Sylvia IvaluAtuat
- Peter-Henry ArnatsiaqOki
- Lucy TulugarjukPuja
- Pakak InnuksukAmaqjuaq (as Pakkak Innushuk)
- Madeline IvaluPanikpak
- Pauloosie QulitalikQulitalik / A shaman (as Paul Qulitalik)
- Eugene IpkarnakSauri, the chief
- Neeve IrngautUluriaq
- Abraham UlayurulukTungajuaq