North

Iqaluit filmmaker holds auditions for her 1st drama

An Iqaluit filmmaker is holding auditions Saturday for her very first drama, a love story that takes place in Nunavut in the 1950s.

Alethea Arnaquq-Baril plans to start filming Aug. 1

An Iqaluit filmmaker is auditioning actors for her newest project Saturday, a love story that takes place near the city in the 1950s. 

Alethea Arnaquq-Baril usually makes Inuktitut cultural films and documentaries. On her website, Arnaquq-Baril says documentary making is a "powerful tool" to communicate important messages to people who don't live in the North. 

But her new project is a drama — her very first one — and takes place in the 1950s at an outpost camp just outside Iqaluit. 

It's also a love story.    

Alethea Arnaquq-Baril is an Inuk film producer and writer from Nunavut. She's best known for her documentaries that explore Inuit culture and lifestyle. (CBC)

Arnaquq-Baril says she's filming the short movie from Aug. 1 to 4.  

It will be shown at the imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival in Toronto on Oct. 22. 

"Shortly there after — we don't have broadcast dates yet — but it will be broadcast on Bravo Fact and also on APTN," Arnaquq-Baril said.

The film stars local Iqaluit actresses Mary Buscemi and Malaya Chapman. 

Arnaquq-Baril is still looking for two Inuit girls to play younger versions of the pair, as well as an older Inuit couple to play their parents.