Netsilik Eskimo Film Series

a series of 9 films and 21 half-hour parts sci­en­tif­ic advice by Asen Balik­ci and Guy Mary-Rousselière A series of 9 films in 21 half-hour parts. These films reveal the … read more

Asen Balikci’s impres­sive inter­na­tion­al back­round is mir­rored in the corpus of films that he has pro­duced. Born to a Bul­gar­i­an family living in turkey in 1929 he soon moved to … read more

In late winter when the cold is severe, the people and dogs are glad to stop their trek and make camp. In the blue dusk the men probe the snow and then cut build­ing blocks while the women shovel a site. Soon all are under cover, and in the waver­ing light of the stone lamp they sleep, their breath rising coldly. In the light of day the men test and refur­bish their spears, har­ness dogs to the sled and strike out on the sea ice. Each man, with a dog or two, explores the white waste, seek­ing scent of a seal’s breath­ing hole. When a dog noses the snow, the man probes for the hole and, when he finds it, sus­pends a single looped hair to signal when the seal rises to breathe. Then he waits, motion­less, to make his strike. He kills, and the others gather to taste the warm liver of his catch. Then, as night comes, the vigil goes on. 

In the morn­ing the women spread the furs over the igloos to air. The chil­dren play, strik­ing a ball of fur with a bone bat. The men wait patient­ly for … read more

Work begins on a big com­mu­ni­ty igloo, and all share in the build­ing of it; one cuts, one car­ries, one builds, and so on. The chil­dren imi­tate. Women pile snow … read more