Nanook of the North

Centred on the lifestyle of the titular Inuk and his family, *Nanook of the North** is of the most pivotal films in history, Robert Flaherty's filmic examination of Inuit culture in the icy Canadian Arctic frontier came at a time before the concept of 'documentary' had even been solidified. Flaherty embarked on this most challenging shoot with just three weeks of cinematography training under his belt, and while the film has attracted fair criticism for his staging of events - particularly the depiction of archaic hunting practices - the film remains a enduringly fascinating watch today.