Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
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.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
15 people
Natar Ungalaaq
Atanarjuat
Known for
The North Water
Slash/Back
Sylvia Ivalu
Atuat
No other roles listed
Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq
Oki
Known for
Chloe and Theo
The Snow Walker
Lucy Tulugarjuk
Puja
Also in
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Iceberg
Pakak Innuksuk
Amaqjuaq (as Pakkak Innushuk)
Also in
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
Maïna
Madeline Ivalu
Panikpak
Also in
Before Tomorrow
The Grizzlies
Pauloosie Qulitalik
Qulitalik / A shaman (as Paul Qulitalik)
Also in
Kabloonak
Gathering Place
Eugene Ipkarnak
Sauri, the chief
Also in
Chloe and Theo
Neeve Irngaut
Uluriaq
Also in
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
Abraham Ulayuruluk
Tungajuaq
Also in
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
Apayata Kotierk
Kumaglak
Also in
One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
Mary Qulitalik
Niriuniq
Also in
Before Tomorrow
Zacharias Kunuk Director · Paul Apak Angilirq Writer Norman Cohn Writer
Worldwide gross $3.8M · Budget $1.9M · United States release February 1, 2002
Box office
Budget
$1,934,000
Worldwide gross
$3,786,801
Gross vs. budget
2.0×
Production
Isuma Productions
Production
Igloolik Isuma Productions Inc.
Production
Canada
Produced in
Languages
Original title
ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ
Original language
Inuktitut
Spoken on screen
Inuktitut
Release dates
France · May 13, 2001
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
United States · February 1, 2002
Theatrical
United States
April 5, 2002 · Premiere · Wisconsin Film Festival
Argentina
March 14, 2002 · Premiere · Mar del Plata Film Festival
Australia
July 26, 2001 · Premiere · Melbourne International Film Festival
Austria
December 20, 2002 · Theatrical
Canada
September 11, 2001 · Premiere · Toronto International Film Festival
September 28, 2001 · Premiere · Vancouver International Film Festival
Czechia
July 5, 2002 · Premiere · Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
October 10, 2002 · Theatrical
Finland
September 20, 2002 · Premiere · Helsinki International Film Festival
France
February 13, 2002 · Theatrical
Greece
November 13, 2001 · Premiere · Thessaloniki International Film Festival
November 13, 2022 · Premiere · Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Hong Kong SAR China
April 6, 2002 · Premiere · Hong Kong International Film Festival
March 20, 2003 · Premiere · Canadian Film Festival
Hungary
October 6, 2001 · Premiere · Titanic International Filmpresence Festival
Japan
June 28, 2003 · Digital
Netherlands
January 27, 2002 · Premiere · International Film Festival Rotterdam
New Zealand
July 14, 2001 · Premiere · New Zealand Film Festival
Norway
August 20, 2002 · Premiere · Norwegian International Film Festival
Poland
October 8, 2002 · Premiere · Warsaw Film Festival
Russia
June 22, 2002 · Premiere · Moscow Film Festival
Serbia
March 9, 2003 · Premiere · Belgrade Film Festival
South Korea
December 19, 2003 · Theatrical
Sweden
January 31, 2002 · Premiere · Göteborg Film Festival
Taiwan
October 2, 2021 · Premiere · Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival
More from Zacharias Kunuk
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.