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Memories of the silver screen
Lucy Tulugarjuk of Fort Smith still asked about landmark Inuktitut-language film

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 31, 2014

THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Thirteen years ago, a unique film - the Inuktitut-language Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner - was released to international acclaim.

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Lucy Tulugarjuk, an actress in the famed Nunavut movie, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, is living in Fort Smith. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Ever since, Lucy Tulugarjuk has been answering questions about the landmark movie from Nunavut.

That's because Tulugarjuk, who now lives in Fort Smith, was one of the performers in the movie, which was filmed in the Iglulik area.

"It has not really stopped," she said. "All the places I go, they recognize me."

Tulugarjuk played a supporting role in the movie as Puja, the second wife of the main character, Atanarjuat.

When travelling to help promote the film when it was released, she would face common questions like how long it took to make the movie, and also some uncommon ones such as whether Atanarjuat was her husband.

"In the south and internationally, they would ask if we still live in igloos, and if I'm wearing my modern clothing for the tour and when I get back will I switch to my caribou clothing," she recalled, noting she would sometimes jokingly answer such questions. "And they'd be like, 'You're pulling my leg.'"

She never tires of being associated with Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. Instead, she said it is an honour.

Tulugarjuk admitted she was surprised by how successful the movie turned out to be, even though she expected it to do well.

"I knew it would be noticed by someone," she said, explaining she was impressed by all the hard work behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Tulugarjuk, who was living in Edmonton at the time of the movie's release, met a variety of people on the promotional tour, and she said they were supportive, encouraging, surprised and amazed by the film.

"No matter who the person was or where the person was from, at the end the message was still same - thank you for sharing," she said.

The movie won prizes at film festivals around the world, including at the prestigious festival in Cannes, France. It was also the top-earning Canadian film of 2002.

Tulugarjuk said the honours, such as at Cannes, were a recognition of filmmaking, even by those with small budgets.

"If there's commitment from everybody and teamwork and courage, then it can be done."

Tulugarjuk believes the movie - which is based on an Inuit legend - was so popular because it had a message for everyone.

"If you take revenge, it doesn't resolve anything," she said. "It just causes more trouble."

The actress also said Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner was unique and important because it was in Inuktitut, adding all the performers were Inuit and many were first-time actors.

Tulugarjuk had no acting experience when she auditioned for the film in 1998.

Since then, she has appeared in several other films - The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, the French film L'iceberg, Issaittuq and Maina.

Tulugarjuk moved to Fort Smith from her hometown of Igloolik about four-and-a-half years ago to attend Aurora College, where she earned a certificate in business administration.

She is now the co-ordinator of the community justice program in Fort Smith.

"I wanted to take part and give back to the community of Fort Smith which has helped us to adjust and feel welcome here," she said.

Another reason she is in Fort Smith is for educational opportunities for her children - two in high school and one in elementary school.

Tulugarjuk doesn't know how much more acting she will be doing in the future, noting, "It depends on what's happening in life."

When not acting, she stays involved in the traditional arts through dancing, music and throat singing. She also occasionally participates in an improvisational group in Fort Smith and recently attended a workshop on directing.

In February, she opened the Gone Wild fashion show - designed to support the hunting and trapping lifestyle - with a drum dance and throat singing, and by wearing sealskin.

Tulugarjuk does not consider herself a movie star, noting she finds it awkward when people describe her that way.

"I don't want to label myself as that," she said. "If they see me as that, then sure, thank you. But I won't say I am a movie star."

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