ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
An intimate portrait of the world's northernmost indigenous people as they struggle to continue their traditions in a rapidly changing world.

SYNOPSIS
In the northernmost indigenous community on Earth, the Inughuit people of North Greenland continue to practice subsistence hunting methods in close communion with nature. ìHila Kihimiî is a common phase—meaning to ëgo with natureí—and this sentiment can be found in every moment of Inughuit life. Today, this traditional way of life is at grave risk of disappearing due to a warming climate, globalization, and increasing regulation.

This documentary short film closely follows two Inughuit subsistence hunters through their daily lives during both the summer and winter seasons as they navigate between a complex world of tradition and modernity to make ends meet. Throughout the film, the stories of these two main characters are interwoven and contrasted with interviews of key individuals who hold differing views about the future of subsistence hunting.

Filming is completed in close partnership with the community and, rather than forcing the narrative, the goal is to provide a spotlight for the hunting community to tell their own story. The team live alongside the two primary subjects for months ñ sleeping on floors, joining every hunting trip, participating in communal activities, and never missing a moment ñ to provide a unique and comprehensive portrait of northern hunting life.

The film offers an intimate and unprecedented look into the daily lives of Inughuit hunters while simultaneously being structured to present a variety of perspectives on a complex topic. Weaving together greatly differing viewpoints against the backdrop of two huntersí daily lives brings together a narrative that presents all sides of a complex cultural story, leaving the viewer with the information and power to decide for themselves what the future holds for the worldís northernmost hunters.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Short

DIRECTOR Ashlei Payne
PRODUCER Talor Stone, Ashlei Payne
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Ashlei Payne, Talor Stone
Director of Photography Ashlei Payne

WEBSITE tracingthought.com/films

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