In the Shadow of the Tugtupite
A cinematic portrait of despair and anxiety towards an unknown future for the Inuit of the world's largest island. The film questions the rationale behind past and future mining prospects in Greenland and how they are linked to the search for identity of the fledgling nation in a post-colonial world.
-
Inuk JørgensenWriter, producer, directorThe Bottle Cleaner, Greenland Adventure Race, Home, Hedtoft
-
Runtime:6 minutes 49 seconds
-
Completion Date:August 3, 2020
-
Production Budget:3,500 USD
-
Country of Origin:Greenland
-
Language:English, Kalaallisut
-
Student Project:No
-
Nuuk International Film FestivalNuuk
Greenland
September 16, 2020
World Premiere
Jury Award - Best Shortfilm -
Red Nation International Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
November 1, 2020
North American Premiere
Best Documentary Short Nominee -
Independent Shorts AwardsHollywood
United States
December 30, 2020
Gold Award - Best Documentary, Bronze - Best Editing, Honorable Mentions - Director, Cinematography, Score -
Dunedin International Film FestivalDunedin, Florida
United States
January 11, 2021
Official Selection -
Tromsø International Film FestivalTromsø
Norway
January 19, 2021
Scandinavian Premiere
In competition -
Skabmagovat Film FestivalInari
Finland
January 28, 2021
Finland Premiere
Official Selection -
Canberra Short film FestivalCanberra
Australia
March 27, 2021
Australian Premiere
Finalist, Best Native Stories -
Tampere Film FestivalTampere
Finland
March 10, 2021
Competition Selection -
Demetera International Short film FestivalParis
France
May 10, 2021
Official Selection -
Trento Film FestivalTrento
Italy
April 30, 2021
Italien Premiere
Official Selection -
EcocineSao Paolo
Brazil
March 29, 2021
Official Selection -
Liberation DocFestDhaka
Bangladesh
April 6, 2021
Official Selection -
Wairoa Māori Film FestivalWairoa
New Zealand
June 5, 2021
Official Selection -
Nickel Independent Film FestivalSt. Johns
Canada
July 19, 2021
Canadian Premiere
Official Selection -
GECO Film FestivalMelbourne
Australia
July 3, 2021
In competition -
Nordic International Film FestivalNew York
United States
August 25, 2021
In competition -
Asinabka Film & Media Arts FestivalOttawa
Canada
September 18, 2021
Official Selection -
Human-Environment Care Film FestivalPickering, ON
Canada
September 22, 2021
Official Selection -
Lunenberg Doc FestLunenberg, NS
Canada
September 23, 2021
In Competition -
Arctic International Film FestivalAnadyr
Russian Federation
October 1, 2021
Russian Premiere
In competition -
International Short Film Festival of CyprusLimassol
Cyprus
October 9, 2021
Cyprus Premiere
Competition Selection -
The Explorers Club Polar Film FestivalChristchurch
New Zealand
October 16, 2021
Official Selection -
imagineNATIVEToronto
Canada
October 19, 2021
Official Selection -
Native Spirit Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
November 5, 2021
Official Selection -
Flensburger KurzfilmtageFlensburg
Germany
November 20, 2021
German premiere
In competition -
CortomontagnaUdine
Italy
December 4, 2021
Finalist - Best Short Film -
Calcutta International Short Film festivalKolkata
India
December 17, 2021
Indian Premiere
Best Documentary -
Arctic Shorts Film EveningBrussels
Belgium
January 26, 2022
Official Selection -
Alpi Giulie Cinema/Monte AnalogoTrieste
Italy
February 5, 2022
Official Selection -
Nunavut International film festivalIqaluit
Canada
February 21, 2022
Nunavut Premiere
Best Cinematography -
Wales One World Film FestivalAberystwyth
United Kingdom
February 25, 2022
Official Selection -
Int. Short and Independent Film FestivalDahka
Bangladesh
February 22, 2022
Official Selection -
Kort- & DokumentärfilmsdagarGothenburg
Sweden
April 9, 2022 -
Museum of Modern ArtAalborg
Denmark
April 19, 2022 -
Ennesimo Film FestivalBologna
Italy
May 7, 2022
In competition -
International Uranium Film FestivalRio de Janeiro
Brazil
May 29, 2022
Official Selection -
Riddu Riđđu FestiválaSamuelsberg
Norway
July 9, 2022
Official Selection
Award-winning short film writer/director. Educated from the university of Aarhus, Denmark, Inuk has been making home movies and short animations since his childhood in Greenland. As an adult he has been involved in several documentary and short film productions as well as being an active member of the film making community of Greenland, Film.gl. As an indigenous filmmaker he has a focus on aesthetic images and personal stories that touch on the identity, history, and culture of the Greenlandic Inuit people.
The Inuit have always told stories, and this short film is in many ways a retelling of old folklore - yet strangely predictive of things to come.
Today Greenland is a fledgling nation trying to break loose of the chains of colonialism, but in the process history is about to repeat itself as international interest in the riches of the country is on the rise. Colonialism in a post-colonial world. With this film I want to draw a parallel between modern day Greenland and the history of the people of the great island.
Without pointing any fingers I aim to make sense of things to come while drawing inspiration from an old Inuit tale of the red rocks of the Tugtupite (which literally means the blood of the reindeer). For the film I wanted to depict a town devoured of people while always have the mountains looming in the background to create tension, and with only a few camera movements and hardly any human activity as this plays well in connection to the message of the film.
As Inuit we have always told stories and I wonder what stories future generations will tell about us.