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Toronto-based filmmaker Paulina Robak is in town gathering research for an upcoming feature documentary about southern transplants living in the NWT. Part of her reconnaissance involves collecting Northern music to accompany her footage.

"I'm definitely looking for musicians available and willing to license their music for the film," she said, adding she's also open to showcasing work by sculptors and painters.

Toronto filmmaker Paulina Robak says she's looking for music and art to feature in an upcoming documentary about southern transplants in the NWT - photo courtesy of Paulina Robak

This week Robak is interviewing local Ice Road Trucker star Alex Debogorski and a number of other longtime residents who moved North decades ago.

"Essentially I'm asking people to come forth with their stories of why they're in the NWT," she explained. "I really want to be able to give them a chance to tell the stories they want to tell about the North. There's more to the NWT than just the ice road. I'm pretty open to anything people are willing to show me."

Born in Poland and a Torontonian since 1995, Robak creates documentaries that explore cross-cultural experience.

Her last full-length documentary, titled 3 countries, 3 Weeks, 3 Weddings, chronicled nuptials in Poland, Norway and Ottawa.

Last year she debuted her short film State of Mind at the Hot Docs Canadian international film festival in Toronto. It's a portrait of a man with schizophrenia who overcomes dire struggle.

"It's interesting to see how people around the world are ultimately the same, with the same joys the same sorrows," she said. "My documentaries are about bringing people closer together by telling stories that aren't told in the conventional media from angles that haven't been previously seen. I know there are a lot of misconceptions about the North. I don't want to come with too many preconceived notions."

She plans to complete her NWT documentary by October and submit it to the international festival circuit for 2010. In town until Sunday, she plans to return to Yellowknife in the spring for more interviews.

Any residents, artists or musicians with stories to share can contact the filmmaker at paulinarobak@hotmail.com.