DirectorSamuelCollardeyScreenwriterSamuelCollardeyCatherinePailléProducerGrégoireDebaillyPrincipalCastAndersHvidegaardAsserBoassenJuliusB.NielsenTobiasIgnatiussenThomasineJonathansenGertJonathansenSECTIONWorldDocCOUNTRYFranceRUNTIME95minLANGUAGEDanish/InuitSUBTITLESYeswithEnglishsubtitlesCOMPANYKINOLOGYEMAILgmelin@kinology.euPHONE+33687510396Althoughhe’swarnedtoexpectboredomandbittercold,Anders,ayoungDanishprimaryschoolteacher,acceptsapostinTiniteqiilaq,aremotevillageof80inhabitantsinGreenland.Arrivingwithcertainpreconceptions—the“Danishlook”asonevillagercallsit—Anderscontendswithculturaldifferencesandanunrulyclassroom,tosaynothingofthesnow.Wonderingwhatittakestobeacceptedinthis“hellhole,”he’sadvisedtotrylearningthelanguageandlocalways—hunting,sledding,fishing.Howhardcanitbe,hefigures,torideasled?FrenchfilmmakerSamuelCollardeyoftenexplorestheblurryterrainbetweenfictionanddocumentary.Meticulouslyconstructed,APolarYearblendspurelydocumentarysequenceswithscriptedmomentsinvolvingthevillagers.Butthesedistinctionsbecomeacademicasyougiveyourselfovertocinemathat’sthoroughlyabsorbingandvisuallybreathtaking.CollardeyspentmonthsinthevillagebeforelearningofAnders’sassignmentandstartingtofilm.His“reverseassimilation”storyreflectsdelightfullyonEurocentrismaswellasonTiniteqiilaq’sindigenouspeople,changingseasons,andrhythmsoflifeanddeath.
