NANOOK OF THE NORTH (1922)

The first documentary film ever made in the history of the cinema! Maybe adventurous drifter Robert Flaherty didn’t know that this silent B&W document would become timeless landmark in the history of motion pictures and he bestowed as ‘the father of documentary filmmaking’. The making of this film had passed through utter hardships and ill fate of wrecking the cruising boat and subzero temperature. Not only that while editing his first shot film he dropped the cigarette ash and burned the whole print of the film. He ventured once again to explore north of Arctic and shot the film focused on a Eskimo family helmed by man named Nanook. Much of this is already explained in the beginning preface of the film by Flaherty.

The film portrays the detailing insight into the daily life of the chief hunter named Nanook and his family surviving against all odds and hostile nature and still managed to live fearless, lovable and happy-go-lucky life. The journey of slow clad region documented few memorable images- how without bait Nanook caught fish with agile precision of mere stick and harpoon, the walrus and the seal hunt, the making of igloo walls with ice slabs and the transparent ice window to reflect the light along with some light moments Nanook spared with his kid teaching hunting lessons with ice toy animals. The film is special since it heralded the realistic documentary filmmaking movement in cinema.