SA国际影视传媒淎n eco-action fantasy that blasts in Mad Max style.SA国际影视传媒�

This quote from MontrealSA国际影视传媒檚 Fantasia International Film Festival describes the Arctic dystopian epic, SA国际影视传媒楶olarisSA国际影视传媒�, a film created by Yellowknife-raised director Kirsten Carthew.

Finding success in Canada, the film would open Fantasia, a thrill for Carthew.

SA国际影视传媒淔antasia is an amazing festival,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the most important genre festivals in the world and certainly in North America. They have a history of championing films from the north. So itSA国际影视传媒檚 a real honour.SA国际影视传媒�

Taking time out of her busy schedule, Carthew chatted with the Yellowknifer about her film and what folks can expect from it.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a feature film,SA国际影视传媒� she began. SA国际影视传媒淎nd it follows the story of Sumi, who is a 10-year-old girl who was raised by a polar bear.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚t is set in a future dystopian world, 2144, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a frozen world,SA国际影视传媒� she continues. SA国际影视传媒淎nd we meet the film stars, we meet Sumi with Mama Polar Bear, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e following the North Star, which seems to sort of be on the move, and not consistently visible. So theySA国际影视传媒檙e changing course to follow the star, and as they follow the star, Sumi is separated from her mother, and is taken prisoner by a group of marauders known as the Morad.

SA国际影视传媒淭hen her mission, really for the film, is very simple as to escape capture and reunite with her mother by continuing to follow the the North Star. She has a special connection to the North Star, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 an element of magic, I suppose. She has tattoos of the North Star on her hands and so hopefully part of the intrigue for the audience is that, you know, they want to find out the connection between the tattoos on her hands and the North Star.SA国际影视传媒�

The film, according to Carthew, came to be following some previous work she had submitted to the Dead North Film Festival around 2015.

SA国际影视传媒淭he film was really inspired by a number of different elements,SA国际影视传媒� says Carthew. SA国际影视传媒淥ne was a short film called Fish Out of Water that I made in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 really love that story world, I love some of the elements in it,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淟ike the colour palette, I like the characters. It was a primarily non-verbal film with some fictional dialogue as well, and there were some magical elements there too.SA国际影视传媒�

The creation of Polaris was also influenced by the vast collection of stories featured in Greek mythology, as well as those that explain different astrological constellations.

SA国际影视传媒淧articularly, stories about the Big Dipper and Little Dipper,SA国际影视传媒� Carthew said. SA国际影视传媒淭he Ursa Major, meaning the big water bear, which is the polar bear, and the Ursa Minor, which is the small polar bear.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒�(So) this kind of playful spirit of reimagining mythology about constellations kind of took hold, and I really just kind of channeled the story about it kind of quickly, actually. So, definitely, my experience of film in the North, but also just living in the North and being immersed in nature and in my life in general. Nature has been a major player. So themes of environment and kind of human environmental relations are throughout all my work and, in particular, in Polaris.SA国际影视传媒�

Carthew is now just waiting for what comes next SA国际影视传媒� a theatrical release of the film.

SA国际影视传媒淭he film, very fortunately, from the very beginning had a distribution deal in Canada and also has a US sales agent onboard,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎nd what that means is that from even before we made the film, we were guaranteed to have a theatrical release in Canada.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淪o in addition to whichever film festivals choose to play the film, there will be a theatrical screening in Canada, which is really exciting because film festivals are fantastic for filmmakers, [but] when a film plays theatrically, it also allows it to be seen by a larger audience and often more of an audience.SA国际影视传媒�

At the time of writing, a release date has yet to be set, but Carthew believes that phone call could come soon.

SA国际影视传媒淢y guess is that it will play in early 2023, but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 just a guess.SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 could get a call tomorrow and say itSA国际影视传媒檚 gonna start screening in November. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not up to me.SA国际影视传媒�