Hot Docs

People of a Feather is a breathtaking journey into the remote world of the Belcher Islands Inuit people. Uniting this community’s past and present is their cultural connection with the eider duck, a species now suffering massive die-offs. Eider down, the warmest feather in the world, is essential for surviving harsh Arctic winters. But both the Inuit and the eiders are struggling to adapt to changing sea dynamics as seasons and ocean currents are reversed by run-off from hydroelectric dams that power North America’s entire eastern seaboard. Filmed over seven winters, Arctic ecologist and cinematographer Joel Heath’s debut feature employs stunning time-lapse photography and underwater footage to create an authentic and insightful portrayal of a community challenged by a changing environment. This stunning piece of visual poetry weaves past with present to powerfully acknowledge humankind’s relationship with nature and the fragility of our existence. Michelle Latimer

Co-presented with ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.