portrait of children
Newcomer to the big screen, Lukasi Forrest is from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (Northern Québec). He has been involved in the local Junior Rangers, Police Cadets, school soccer team and other sports. He previously trained and performed with Cirqiniq, a Cirque du Soleil social circus program. Given the opportunity, Lukasi would like to continue acting. In the meantime, he is continuing his schooling and plans to work as a monitor at the Kuujjuaq Youth Camp this summer.
By the time she was 19, Marianne knew that her career would take place under the lights. She recorded an album in Quebec with several songs making the top 10 list. But acting had always been her passion. Once focused on this path, her talent was quickly recognized. Being fully bilingual, she began with parts on shows for youth in both English and French like Big Wolf on Campus, Vampire High, Seriously Weird and Macaroni Tout Garni. Following this, she had a starring role in the feature thriller Daniel Roby’s La Peau Blanche, and then landed hefty parts in three first-rate prime-time series in Quebec: Les Invincibles, Nos Étés and in Les Rescapés. On U.S. television she played in Stephen King’s Dead Zone and had supporting roles in movies Christmas Choir, Forbidden Secrets and No Brother of Mine. Marianne can be seen in the upcoming feature Stobe Harju’s Imaginaerum, a Finnish-Quebecois co-production. Marianne has also produced four short films, one of which, Mon Cher Robert, was nominated for a 2010 Jutra Award.
Travis is an Igloolik local and the real life son of Carol Kunnuk who plays his mother Sheba in the film. Having never acted before, this was a new experience for Travis. In the future, he would like to take on other parts. At the moment, he is the local Northern Store Stock Supervisor; he enjoys hunting on the land and playing hockey and will be finishing High School next semester.
Madeline Piujuq Ivalu has been a key elder participant in all projects by Arnait Video Productions since 1991. Actor, director, musician, storyteller and well-known seamstress, she co-directed and starred in the collective’s previous film, Before Tomorrow, giving a moving performance as Ningiuq, the spirited and loving grandmother who cares for her grandson, as they find themselves alone in the world. She also appeared as a featured player in Zacharias Kunuk’s Atanarjuat The Fast Runner and Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn’s The Journals of Knud Rasmussen.
Carol Kunuk has worked for many years in film and television in Nunavut: producing, editing and assistant directing several projects for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation, the Nunavut Independent Television Network and the Arnait Video Collective. In 2010 she directed her first documentary film The Queen of the Quest. Prior to playing Sheba, she appeared in Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn’s The Journals of Knud Rasmussen and took part in acting workshops in Igloolik. Carol currently resides in Igloolik and is the in house editor for Kingulliit Productions.
Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq is an experienced hunter from Igloolik as well as a well-known actor. He stared as Oki, the jealous rival in Zacharias Kunuk’s Atanarjaut The Fast Runner. He is also featured in Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn’s The Journals of Knud Rasmussen and Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu’s Before Tomorrow and has a supporting role in Charles Martin Smith’s The Snow Walker. In 2003, he presented at l’École Nationale de Théâtre in Montreal a unique re-enactment of the contemporary Inuit legend of Kaukjakjualuk. Co-directed with his brother Laurentio Arnatsisaq, this impressive performance included singing, acting, drumming, dancing and juggling.
Pakak Innukshuk is a well-known carver and actor. He has played in the theater and has had several film roles. He played Avva, the last great shaman portrayed in Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn’s The Journals of Knud Rasmussen as well as Atanarjuat’s older brother in Zacharias Kunuk’s Atanarjuat The Fast Runner Recently, he played Merkusaq in Michel Poulette’s Maïna, shot in the spring of 2012. Pakak is currently employed as a repairman for the Igloolik Housing Association.
(Plays Jeela)
(Plays Silessie)
(Plays John)
(Plays Lukassie)