POSTER TO COME ANAANA’S TENT A 2018 TAQQUT PRODUCTIONS INC. PRODUCTION

DIRECTORS | Roselynn Akulukjuk, Nadia Mike, Neil Christopher, Philip Eddolls, Daniel Christopher, Patrick Béland

WRITERS | Nadia Mike, Roselynn Akulukjuk, Neil Christopher, Daniel Christopher, William Flaherty, Maren Vsetula, Champagne Brittany Choquer, Philip Eddolls, Martha Grant

PRODUCER | Louise Flaherty, Neil Christopher, Daniel Christopher

HOST | Rita Claire Mike-Murphy

MUSIC | The Jerry Cans, Andrew Morrison, Kathleen Merritt

RUNTIME | 13 x 22 minutes

TECHNICAL SPECS Sony FS7 / Colour / 2018 / 16:9 / Stereo HD Master / Sony HD CAM / DIGITAL FILE

Anaana’s Tent - EPK LOGLINE

In a very special tent in the Arctic, Rita Claire and her husky Qimmiq learn new songs, words and stories with the help of some animated friends and performers.

SERIES SYNOPSIS

It’s summertime in the Arctic, and host Rita Claire sets up camp at her mother’s tent on the land. With the help of her old husky, Qimmiq, and a cast of special friends, Rita Claire sings songs, plays games, reads stories and learns new words in . Special guests, including Celina Kalluk, Beatrice Deer, Looee Arreak, Meeka Arnakaq and the Jerry Cans, drop by to visit. Anaana’s Tent is an entertaining and educational preschool TV series that prepares children for Kindergarten. The series is a mixture of live-action, puppet, and animated segments and is filled with Northern stories. Anaana’s Tent teaches Inuit values of kindness, friendship, patience and environmental stewardship.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK EPISODE SYNOPSIS

Episode 101: Fishing Welcome to Anaana’s Tent! Today, host Rita Claire arrives at her family’s tent and learns how important fishing is in . Celina Kalluk stops by to sing a song, and we read the book Fishing with Grandma.

Episode 102: Dogs Rita Claire explains the importance of dogs to Inuit culture. Celina Kalluk and Rita Claire demonstrate a throat song called “The River,” and Rita Claire reads the book Siku and Kamik Go to School.

Episode 103: Going on a Trip Rita Claire and Qimmiq are getting ready to go for a hike, and she shows how to prepare for a trip. Beatrice Deer teaches us how to count to five in Inuktitut. We hear the Inuit tale of the owl and the lemming and read the book On the Shoulder of a Giant.

Episode 104: Parts of the Body Rita Claire teaches Qimmiq about parts of the body, eating right and brushing our teeth. Looee Arreak sings “Inuktitut Uqausira” and we read the book My Tooth Hurts.

Episode 105: Inuit Clothing Rita Claire teaches us about the importance of Inuit clothing and how it protects against the cold. Rita Claire and Celina Kalluk perform a throat song together, and we read the book Viivi’s New Kamiks.

Episode 106: Arctic Plants Rita Claire and Qimmiq learn all about Arctic plants. Meeka Arnakaq sings the Butterfly song, Zipporah Kalluk teaches how to light a qulliq (an Inuit stone lamp), and we read the book Saila and Betty.

Episode 107: Arctic Bugs Rita Claire talks about common Arctic bugs, like mosquitoes and wolf spiders. We hear a traditional Inuit story about an orphan and the amautalik, and we read the book Grandmother Ptarmigan.

Episode 108: Counting Rita Claire teaches how to count to five by counting items in the tent. Beatrice Deer visits the qarmmaq to sing the juggling song, and we read the book Out on the Ice and count fish.

Episode 109: Things That Make Me Happy Rita Claire is invited to a friend’s birthday party, but her friend has an unusual request. Celina Kalluk plays the mouth harp, and we read the book Leah’s Mustache Party.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Episode 110: Sorting Rita Claire and Qimmiq show how to sort different items in the tent. Meeka Arnakaq teaches us how to play Inugaq, a bone game, and we read the book Going to Grandma’s.

Episode 111: Helping Out Rita Claire talks about the different ways we help family and friends. Celina Kalluk stops by to sing “Siipinnguaq,” Susan Avingaq teaches us how to play Makigiaq, and we read the book Why We Share Country Food.

Episode 112: Rainy Day Rita Claire prepares for a rainy day outside with Qimmiq. Celina Kalluk visits to play the guitar and sing, and we are introduced to the traditional story The Legend of Lightning and Thunder.

Episode 113: Going Home It’s Rita Claire’s last day in the tent, and she feels sad. So she sings to Qimmiq to cheer herself up, and we read the book Way Back Then, featuring different Inuit folktales and myths.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK SERIES CREATOR’S STATEMENT

I was raised on a steady diet of myths and legends. The Minotaur, Medusa, and the kraken were some of the first story characters that captured my imagination. So, many years later, when I noticed a student sketching out a monster during one of my high school classes in , , I took an interest. “It’s of Mahaha,” he told me. “He’s the tickling demon of the Arctic.” And that was it. I was hooked. I began looking for more information on Inuit myths and legends in my spare time. I was especially interested in the supernatural beings that inhabit many of the Inuit stories.

Together with my colleagues, I have been working to ensure that the rich storytelling traditions of the Arctic are not lost. We have been working with Nunavummiut to promote these stories Through anthologies, children’s books, posters, and websites. We want to ensure they don’t become simply part of history but instead influence the contemporary culture of the North.

For Anaana’s Tent, I wanted to bring some of those mythical stories to preschool children in Nunavut. I wanted to introduce Nunavummiut preschool children to their Inuit culture and oral history, and use themes from these myths and legends to prepare children for Kindergarten.

— Neil Christopher

Anaana’s Tent - EPK CAST BIOGRAPHIES

Rita Claire Mike-Murphy - Host In her first leading television role, Rita Claire Mike-Murphy is delighting children as host of Anaana’s Tent. Rita Claire was raised in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, and is making a name for herself across the North with her unique and beautiful voice. She is part of the youth music movement in Nunavut and has shared the stage with some of the top Nunavut artists, including Twin Flames, Elisapee Isaac and The Jerry Cans.

Ippiksaut Friesen - Puppeteer for Qimmiq the Husky Ippiksaut Friesen gives a wonderful and humorous performance as Qimmiq, Rita Claire’s grumpy but lovable retired sled dog on Anaana’s Tent. Ippiksaut is from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. A talented graphic designer, artist, animator and puppeteer, Ippiksaut has a Bachelor of Art from Emily Carr University, where she majored in Animation. Since then, Ippiksaut has produced her own animations and short films, which have garnered awards at TIFF Kids International Film Festival and imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, and puppeteered for the short filmThe Owl and the Lemming.

Celina Kalluk - Performer & Narrator Celina Kalluk is the narrator for many of the Anaana’s Tent segments, and her voice brings a beautiful and resonant sound to the series. When there is a teachable moment on the series, Celina asks characters Ukaliq and Kalla for help and guides them to the right answer, normally through call-and-response. The grounding and melodic nature of Celina’s narration stems from her work as a singer-songwriter and traditional Inuit throat singer. She has been recorded on several CDs produced in Nunavut and has performed for audiences around the world, including the Queen in London. She is also author of the best-selling children’s book Sweetest Kulu. Celina is from Resolute Bay, Nunavut.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Looee Arreak - Performer Looee Arreak is a special guest performer on Anaana’s Tent. Looee is an award-winning Inuktitut singer-songwriter from Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Looee’s songs span traditional and contemporary , as well as gospel music and choir. Looee has performed on stages across the Canadian Arctic, equally at home performing solo, in duet with James Arreak or with her band and choir. A prolific performing artist in her chosen field, Looee is passionate about Inuit language preservation and creativity. She has two albums to her name and has toured all across Nunavut and . Her music is in constant play on Inuktitut radio and is covered by young Inuktitut musicians who look up to her as a mentor. Her songs are lyrical and full of beautiful sound, and they capture themes of hope, strength, resilience, playfulness and a love of family and land. Looee is now based in with her husband James Arreak and their six children.

Beatrice Deer - Performer Beatrice Deer is a special guest performer on Anaana’s Tent. Beatrice is a Canadian Inuk singer from Quaqtaq, a tiny village on the most northeast coast of in a region called Nunavik, which means “massive land.” Beatrice uses her vocal formidability in both lyrical singing and throat singing. In 2005 she won a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Inuit/Cultural Album.

Nancy Mike and Andrew Morrison of The Jerry Cans - Performers Nancy Mike and Andrew Morrison are special guest performers on Anaana’s Tent. Fast-rising Northern stars, the Jerry Cans (ᐸᐃ ᒑᓚᖃᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ) create music inspired by their hometown of Iqaluit, Nunavut. With their unique mix of Inuktitut alt-country, throat singing and reggae, the Jerry Cans are a distinctly Northern, one-of-a-kind group. The band perform many of their songs in Inuktitut and are passionate about preserving the language even as the North and their home community of Iqaluit evolve. They are committed to representing Northerners and to challenging common misconceptions they have encountered about life in the Arctic; their music evokes the contemporary North and the spirited people who live there. Their reputation for infectious, high-energy performances has audiences across the globe catching a glimpse of life in Arctic. In 2017 the Jerry Cans undertook their first global tour, performing at venues in , Europe, Australia and New Zealand, garnering popular acclaim and rave critical reviews.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Vinnie Karetak - Voice of Ukaliq (Ukaliq & Kalla animated segments) Vinnie is originally from Arviat but has been living in Iqaluit since 2002. He’s an avid volunteer and sits on the boards of Northern Youth Abroad and Qaggiavuut, Nunavut’s performing arts society. He enjoys hosting public events in Iqaluit, such as Toonik Tyme and Alianait, and is both a softball and hockey player. He likes to listen to great Canadian music like , the Jerry Cans and the Trade-Offs. Vinnie is a producer, writer and lead actor, playing Nipangi Huittuq on the popular Inuktitut television program Qanurli?, now in its sixth season, on APTN.

Anguti Johnston - Voice of Kalla (Ukaliq & Kalla animated segments) Anguti grew up moving around the Baffin region of Nunavut and northern Quebec (Nunavik). He now lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with his two daughters, Amy and Leah. Anguti has been involved in the Inuit political realm, mostly with the National Inuit Youth Council and . He decided to pursue his passion of filmmaking and writing full-time in 2014 and hasn’t looked back. Anguti has received Nunavut Commissioner’s award for youth development and the Diamond Jubilee award for media arts. Anguti is a producer, writer, and lead actor, playing Inuk Qablunaaq on the popular Inuktitut television program Qanurli?, now in its sixth season, on APTN.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK KEY CREW BIOGRAPHIES

Louise Flaherty - Executive Producer & Inuktitut Language Specialist Louise is from Clyde River, Nunavut, and was fortunate to be surrounded by great storytellers growing up. She graduated with a Bachelor of Education in 1993. Since then, Louise has been working hard to promote Inuktitut literacy. In 2006 Louise co-founded the Nunavut-based publishing company Inhabit Media. In her role as Inuktitut Publisher, Louise has worked to preserve and strengthen Inuktitut literacy and cultural knowledge. In 2012, with her partners at Inhabit Media, Louise co-founded Taqqut Productions, a Nunavut-based film and television production company. In her role as Producer for Taqqut, Louise continues to work to ensure the current generation of Nunavummiut never forget their culture and their language.

Neil Christopher - Executive Producer, Director & Writer Many years ago, Neil moved to Resolute Bay in Northern Canada. Neil quickly fell in love with the North—the landscape, the wildlife and the culture. It was also in those first years in the North that Neil was introduced to the rich mythology of the Canadian Inuit. For the last ten years Neil has been researching Inuit myths and legends and has used this research to develop publications for children, youth and adults. In 2012 Neil wrote and directed his first animated film,Amaqqut Nunaat: The Country of Wolves. This film was an international success, garnering critical acclaim and many awards. The success of that film prompted Neil to start the film company Taqqut Productions with his publishing colleagues, Louise Flaherty and Danny Christopher. Neil currently lives in the capital of Nunavut, Iqaluit.

Danny Christopher - Executive Producer & Art Director Danny is co-owner, producer and art director with Taqqut Productions. He is currently working on the upcoming short animated filmThe Legend of Day and Night. Danny is a former contributing illustrator with the New York Times, and in his role as Art Director of Inhabit Media, he has illustrated The Legend of the Fog, A Children’s Guide to Arctic Birds, and Animals Illustrated: Polar Bear. His work on The Legend of the Fog was nominated for the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustration Award. He is well versed with the North and Inuit culture, having lived and trav- elled throughout the Canadian Arctic as an instructor for Nunavut Arctic College.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Nadia Mike - Director & Writer Nadia Mike believes in the power of story and the influence it can have on children and youth. She wants to contribute in a way that she hopes youth can identify with—seeing themselves in stories and believing that they can truly be anything. If Inuit children can see themselves in these roles and be proud of who they are, this can have a positive impact. Nadia has a degree in education. Although she only taught for a few years, her passion was creating resources for Nunavut. She is the author of three picture books: Leah’s Mustache Party (2016), Ukaliq and Kalla Go Fishing, based on her short animated film of the same name (2017), and The Muskox and the Caribou (2018). While working for Inhabit Media, she soon got involved with its sister company Taqqut Productions and began writing for Anaana’s Tent. She also took on roles as Director and Assistant Producer. Her hope is to make more educational programming that is in Inuktitut and relevant to the North.

Roselynn Akulukjuk - Director, Writer & Voice of Uliaq Roselynn was raised in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. In 2012 Roselynn moved to Toronto to pursue a career in film and attended the Toronto Film School, where she fell in love with being behind the camera. After her studies, Roselynn returned home to Nunavut, where she began working with Taqqut Productions, an Inuit-owned production company located in the capital of Nunavut, Iqaluit. Part of Roselynn’s love of filmmaking is the ability to interview elders, listen to their traditional stories and share them with the world. Roselynn has garnered international success with her short puppet film,The Owl and the Lemming (2016), a retelling of a traditional Inuit story.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK PRODUCTION NOTES

Anaana’s Tent was shot entirely in and around Iqaluit, the capital city of the Canadian territory of Nunavut.

The few crew members who do not speak Inuktitut learned so much while on set! The educational nature of the show allowed the crew to pick up some Inuktitut. After learning their syllabics from the rhyming song “I, Pi, Ti, Ki,” they learned their colours and numbers, too.

For those who don’t speak Inuktitut, “anaana” means “mother” (and sometimes “grandmother”). It’s also an affectionate term that children call the women elders in their lives.

Ippiksaut Friesen, the puppeteer who plays Qimmiq the husky, did her puppeteering from under the tent stage in a reclined position for the duration of the live-action shoot. She’s very talented!

The series has Inuktitut and English versions. For the live-action shoot, host Rita Claire Mike- Murphy performed Inuktitut and English versions of each segment back-to-back, easily going from one language to the next and not missing a beat.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK FULL CREDITS

Executive Producers Louise Flaherty Neil Christopher Daniel Christopher

Producer Neil Christopher

Assistant Producers Nadia Mike Champagne Brittany Choquer

Production Coordinators Roselynn Akulukjuk Halley Roback

Directors Nadia Mike Roselynn Akulukjuk Neil Christopher Philip Eddolls Daniel Christopher Patrick Béland

Head Writer Neil Christopher

Host Rita Claire Mike-Murphy

Studio Director of Photography Frederick Kroetsch

Writers Nadia Mike Roselynn Akulukjuk Daniel Christopher William Flaherty Maren Vsetula Champagne Brittany Choquer Philip Eddolls Martha Grant

Inuktitut Language Editors & Dialect Coaches Louise Flaherty Nadia Mike Roselynn Akulukjuk Andrea Flaherty Nancy Goupil

Translators Louise Flaherty Roselynn Akulukjuk Nadia Mike Susan Tigullaraq Jeela Palluq-Cloutier Blandina Tulugarjuk Saa Pitsiulak Emily Karpik Annie Aningmiuq

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Qimmiq Ippiksaut Friesen Patrick Béland Neil Christopher

Child Performers Russell Etuangat Kukik Kusugak Faith Akulukjuk Martha MacDonald Charlie Jr. Kilabuk Elisapie Kilabuk Sophia Mearns Duncan Mearns Sophie Solomonie Annika Akulujuk AJ Evic Maria Rose Qulittalik Joanasie Lavanie Akulukjuk Chelsea Prusky

Performers Rita Claire Mike-Murphy Beatrice Deer Celina Kalluk The Jerry Cans Andrew Morrison Nancy Mike Meeka Arnakaq Looee Arreak Mason Angnakak Susan Avingaq Zipporah Kalluk Andrea Flaherty Nadia Mike

Voice Actors Celina Kalluk Anguti Johnston Vinnie Karetak Rita Claire Mike-Murphy Roselynn Akulukjuk Faron Christopher Nancy Mike Mia Christopher Neil Jonas Annika Akulujuk Arlene Akulujuk Maria Rose Leah Johnston

Puppeteers Ippiksaut Friesen Patrick Béland Roselynn Akulukjuk Maren Vsetula Justin Heymans Mark Aspland Rita Claire Mike-Murphy Frederick Kroetsch Champagne Brittany Choquer Neil Christopher

Puppeteer Trainer Ali Eisner

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Theme Song “We’re Headed to Anaana’s Tent” Written by Andrew Morrison Performed by The Jerry Cans

Music The Jerry Cans Andrew Morrison Kathleen Merritt

Camera Operators Mark Aspland Justin Heymans

Wardrobe and Props Andrea Flaherty Nadia Mike Maren Vsetula Andrew Morrison Nancy Mike Louise Flaherty

Set Designers Davidee Qaumariaq Calvin Tilley Winston Hacking

Puppet Builders Brenda Baumgarten Steven Dawley Kevin Gorby

Hair and Makeup Andrea Flaherty

Art Director Daniel Christopher

Animators Luke Coleman Erik Blohm-Gagné Justine Howard Dave Hill Vanessa Brzozowski Anne-Marie Latanville Wesley Blondin Tom Gravestock Pazit Cahlon Hector Herrera Raoul Olou

Illustrators Amanda Sandland Jim Nelson Daniel Christopher Ali Hinch Astrid Arijanto

Motion Graphic Designer Justin Heymans

Post-Production Coordinator Halley Roback

Online Editor and Colourist Richard Millen

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Offline Editors Rose Akulukjuk Justin Heymans

Additional Editor Halley Roback

Sound Pierre L. Barr Chris Coleman

Compositors Philip Eddolls Martha Grant Justin Heymans

Production Accountant John Logan

Post Production Accountant Thomas Walden

Legal Eric Birnberg Karla Bobadilla

Little Storytime Authors Qaunaq Mikkigak Joanne Schwartz Neil Christopher Maren Vsetula Susan Avingaq Kelly Ward Nadia Mike Christina Rooney Jenna Bailey Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt

Little Storytime Illustrators Qin Leng Andrew Trabbold Jim Nelson Charlene Chua Mike Motz Ali Hinch Amanda Sandland Cesar Sebastian Diaz Tim Mack Jo Rioux Germaine Arnaktauyok

Education Consultants Neil Christopher Louise Flaherty Maren Vsetula

Little Storytime Books Abridgement Kelly Ward Neil Christopher

Master Tapes and Described Video Post City Sound & Picture

Caterer I Like Cake

Anaana’s Tent - EPK Special Thanks to Qikiqtani Inuit Association Jackrabbit Consulting Stopmotion Silicone Luna’s Puppets Arlene Akulujuk Mickayla Akulukjuk Jacob Flaherty-Mike Juan Flaherty-Mike Solomon Awa Leah Johnston Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik Preschool Noodloo Peter Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory Eli Lawson James Netser Jasmyne Kunuk Williams Jutanie Stoney Kukik Kusugak Mary Suvega Naullaq Lawson Niviaq Mike Pittaaluk Joanasie Puiji Alainga White Tauki Alainga White Tyler Kunuk Williams

Produced in association with Canada Media Fund Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

Representatives for APTN Jean La Rose Chief Executive Officer Sky Bridges Chief Operating Officer Monika Ille Executive Director of Programming & Scheduling Sylvain Lévesque Manager of Programming, Eastern Canada Jesse Shallcross Programming Coordinator, Eastern Canada

Produced with the assistance of The Government of Nunavut The Nunavut Film Development Corporation The Government of Canada – The Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit and the Ontario Media Development Corporation – Film and Television Tax Credits

Produced in association with Nunavut Independent Television Network – NITV

Shot on location in Nunavut, Canada © 2017 Arvaaq Media Inc.

Anaana’s Tent - EPK SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anaanastent Twitter: https://twitter.com/anaanastent Website: http://www.anaanastent.com/

ABOUT TAQQUT PRODUCTIONS

Taqqut Productions Inc. is an Inuit-owned film production company located in Iqaluit, Nunavut. While primarily a film production company, Taqqut also provides other project production services, such as web design, marketing, and technical writing. The company’s first three short films—Amaqqut Nunaat: The Country of Wolves (2012), The Orphan and the Polar Bear (2013), and The Amautalik (2014)—have screened at festivals in eighteen countries and have won over twenty international awards. With its film and television projects, Taqqut has established itself as an innovative leader in Northern youth and children’s productions.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taqqut Twitter: https://twitter.com/taqqut Website: https://taqqut.com

PHOTOS

Still photography by Mark Aspland and Frederick Kroetsch. Still images and production photos available upon request.

CONTACTS

General inquiries: [email protected] Production or creative services inquiries: [email protected] Film festival submissions or promotional materials: [email protected]

Anaana’s Tent - EPK