The cast, most of the crew, the writer (the late Paul Apak Angilirq) and the director (Zacharias Kunuk) are all Inuit. They shot the film on a remote island in the Canadian Arctic, using wide-screen digital video, which was then transferred to 35mm. The somewhat confusing first 30 minutes demand patience, but once the drama kicks in, “The Fast Runner” holds you easily in its spell. A good story is a good story. In a time of decadent visual clutter, the stark beauty of these Arctic landscapes is bracing. I happened to see this the same day as “Attack of the Clones.” It was like tasting a juicy barbecued steak after microwaved frozen fast food. Pure cinematic protein.
