NOTN

1. How authentic do you believe the
depiction of Inuit life in Nanook of
the North is?
Nanook of the North Close Study

2. Authenticity in Documentary
 Flaherty altered many things during the filming of NOTN
 Nanook’s hunting prowess and position within the group were
greatly exaggerated, inflating his importance making him appear
to be a larger than life hero.
 He ‘westernises’ elements of Inuit culture, hand picking a more
attractive woman to play his wife while refusing to acknowledge
Nanook’s polygamous relationship with his second wife.
 The relationships depicted reinforce the western ideology of the
traditional family, with the father as provider and the mother as the
traditional caregiver.
 He exaggerates the ‘primitive’ nature of the Inuit culture
 Nanook knew how a gramophone worked before the encounter on
camera
 Inuit's had also abandoned the dangerous practice of hunting with
spears, opting instead to hunt with guns.
 His trading is also reduced to “knives beads and bright coloured
candy” making him seem childlike and innocent

3. Authenticity in Documentary
 Many of the actions were
repeated or recreated for
camera, such as the walrus
hunt and the igloo building.
 In conversation with Nanook
before filming started Flaherty
said:
 Think about John Grierson’s
quote
 Documentary is the creative
treatment of actuality
 How much actuality is left in
Nanook of the North?“Do you know that you and your men
may have to give up making a kill, if it
interferes with my film? You
remember it is the picture of you
hunting the walrus I want and not
their meat.”
Nanook replied “Not a man will stir,
not a harpoon will be thrown until you
give the sign. It is my word”

4. Work and Play Sequence
As a class we will analyse the following sequence
answering these questions.
 What techniques are used in the following scene
to romanticise the Eskimo lifestyle?
 How have documentary techniques been used to
increase emotion in the scene?
 Remember to use technical vocabulary and refer to
mise-en-scene, sound and editing

5. Nanook of the North Close Study
Task
In groups look at your allocated scene and analyse it answering
the following questions.
 What techniques are used the following scene to romanticise
the Eskimo lifestyle?
 How have documentary techniques been used to increase
emotion in the scene?
 How has Flaherty mediated this scene? What effect does this
have on the audience?
 You will need to create a presentation on this scene during
the lesson and for homework. You will give this presentation
in your next lesson.