Maïna
Autumn 2014 Features series
Sunday, October 19, 2014 at 4:00pm
Sunday, October 19, 2014 at 7:00pm
Acadia Cinema's Al Whittle Theatre
450 Main Street, Wolfville, NS
Directed by Michel Poulette
Screenplay by Pierre Billon
Based on the book by Dominique Demers
Starring Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, and Reneltta Arluk
Rated NR ·
1h 42m
Canada
English and Inuktitut
Maïna
Director Michel Poulette’s Maïna is a critically acclaimed adventure tale of cultural conflict set 600 years ago―before contact with Europeans―in Nunavik. The film introduces us to two fascinating civilizations that founded America and is based on a novel by French Canadian Dominique Demers.
In the aftermath of a bloody confrontation between her band, the Innu tribe, and the Inuits, the “Men from the Land of Ice,” Maïna (Roseanne Supernault, Rhymes for Young Ghouls), daughter of Grand Chief Mishte-Napeu (Graham Greene, The Green Mile, Dances with Wolves), finds herself on a mission that will change the course of her life. In order to fulfill a promise made to her friend Matsii as she lay on her deathbed, Maïna has to follow the trail of her enemies to retrieve Nipki (Uapshkuss Thernish), Matsii’s 11-year-old son who has been captured by the Inuits. She is taken captive herself by Natak (Ipellie Ootoova), the Inuit clan’s leader, and forced to travel with them to the Land of Ice.
Maïna received an impressive six Canadian Screen Award nominations for 2014, including Best Picture, Best Art Direction/Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Make-Up. At the 2013 American Indian Film Festival, Maïna was named Best Picture, with Roseanne Supernault winning Best Actress.
“This movie involves traditional aboriginal life, coming of age, spirituality, healing and love presented with breathtaking cinematography, a superb soundtrack and a few laughs thrown in for good measure.” (Joyce MacPhee, Nunatsiaq Online)
“The cool thing is that although it takes place among the country’s aboriginal communities prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the themes couldn’t be more contemporary.” (Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette)