CORAL HARBOUR - A Coral Harbour native is close to finishing a script on modern Inuit life, thanks to a $7,000 grant from the Canada Council for the arts she received in 2005.

Adina Leger, pictured here in her sister's house in Rankin Inlet May 29, now lives in San Diego with her husband. She is visiting home while writing a script about an Inuk girl who returns home from the South to rediscover her Inuit culture. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo

Adina Leger has lived in the United States for the last six years, and said it hasn't been easy trying to explain her culture to the average American.

With questions about living in igloos, dogsleds, and wondering why she didn't look like the American vision of an 'Eskimo', her movie, tentatively titled, "This is what I look like," will introduce modern Inuit life and culture to the international stage.

"All the movies I've seen on Inuit life are based on history," said Leger. "I felt it was important to show what life was like now."

Leger's story will feature an Inuk girl who left her home and her culture behind for the amenities of the South.

As she returns home, her character is reintroduced to her culture, and learns to appreciate the things she took advantage of while growing up.

The story isn't far from Leger's own life.

Six years ago she moved from Yellowknife, to attend high school, and then to Florida to study theology.

Her parents were preachers and she planned to follow their path, but at university she met her husband Kelley Leger, a Texan who attended the New York film Academy and caught his passion for film.

The two own a production company in San Diego, Righteous Productions, and produce commercials, music videos, and infomercials.

Leger applied in 2004 for a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to write her own script.

Her proposal didn't pass that year, but she persevered and received the grant in 2005.

Leger was one of 16 recipients of the grant in 2005 out of 55 applicants, said Donna Balkan, a spokesperson for the Canada Council.

"It's a competition," said Balkan. "Artists apply for the grant and are evaluated by a jury."

Balkan noted that Leger was the only recipient from Nunavut that year.

However, she isn't alone in using the grant historically to fund projects. Nationally renowned filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk has also received the grant to fund several of his projects.

The program is directed towards Aboriginal artists from anywhere in Canada, however the programs do not have to be on Aboriginal themes, said Balkan.

As Leger works on the script, which she expects should be finished by September; she's realizing that her project is bringing new challenges such as choosing an aboriginal theme.

For instance, she has yet to choose names for her characters, with names being so connected in Inuit culture.

She doesn't want to make up names to keep the movie authentic, but as names are all inherited its tricky choosing which ones she can use.

Leger plans on collaborating with other Northern artists for the project.

She has already spoken with Leela Gilday who has agreed to make music for the film.

Balkan noted that Leger will be eligible to receive more funding from the Canada Council for the production of the film.