INUVIK
Movie nights are back in Inuvik, at least for the month of October.

Jonathon Michel: helps organize Aurora Research Institute's movie nights in October.

Every Tuesday in October, the Aurora Research Institute is offering a different movie with some relevance to the Delta region and Arctic residents.

On Oct. 14, the institute showed Stories of Strength, a documentary recording Gwich'in elders in the Fort McPherson area. On Oct. 7, the institute presented Nanook of the North, widely considered a classic but flawed attempt to document the lifestyle of the Inuit from the 1920s in what's now called Nunavik.

Approximately 30 people showed up to watch that feature film, with somewhat fewer attending the Stories of Strength screening.

The concept, according to Erica Hille, the acting manager of the facility, and Jonathon Michel, a senior staff member, is to remember the roots of Aurora Research Institute, which was the original "movie theatre" in town.

In 1964, when the facility first opened, it regularly showed movies to Inuvikmiut, said Michel.

It was several years later before the town would have its own legitimate movie theatre, but in the meantime the research facility did just fine.

The people in attendance were fascinated with both movies. Stories of Strength offered a raft of familiar faces in starring roles.

Bertha Francis was one of those well-known figures, as was Robert Alexie Sr. and Mary Snowshoe. Early in the movie, Francis told a fascinating story of how her mother gave birth to several children while living and travelling on the land.

She recounted a story of one such birth, when her mother was travelling with friends and family on a hunting trip. When her mother went into labour, the entire party stopped and waited while she gave birth and recovered enough to travel more.

Robert Alexie Sr. told a story of mushing into Dawson City with his father, a week-long trip that he observed can now be accomplished in a day.

"Things are too easy now," he said.

Charlie Snowshoe, another respected elder, noted that what now seems remarkable to people, living on the land with none of the modern amenities, was nothing special back then.

"It was just living," he said.

After Stories of Strength wrapped up, Michel spent a few minutes discussing the film with the audience and asking if there was more interest in the films.

It was quickly obvious there was a true appetite for the films, when one spectator asked why the Aurora Research Institute is "only showing them for the month."

Michel said the institute is looking at extending the series, and possibly presenting some National Film Board movies, which are available at a low price to the facility.

That plainly delighted the audience, which eagerly gave notice they would be back for more offerings to help fill their nights over a long Inuvik winter.

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