Children of the Arctic

Alaska: The grassy landscape appears barren against the endless sky. A couple of reindeer graze in the distance. A short, muffled shot is heard. Samuel, 14 years old, removes the head from the dead reindeer and begins disembowelling it. Hunting and whaling have belonged to the culture of the Iñupiat, an Alaskan native people, for generations. But this small community’s heritage is in danger – the modern zeitgeist has taken a firm hold of the younger generation. On the one hand, there remains a wish for tradition and solidarity. On the other hand, the desire for a better education and individuality exists. Zurich-based director Nick Brandestini portrays five Iñupiat teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 as they make their journey into adulthood. In doing so, he casts his documentarian eye over an almost forgotten culture in a place where ice and snow determine everyday life.