Synopsis

During a seal hunt on the frozen Arctic Ocean, two Inupiat teenagers accidentally kill a friend during a fight. Terrified of the consequences, they report the death as an accident and return to Barrow, Alaska. As suspicion grows within their close-knit community, guilt, grief, and escalating lies threaten to destroy their friendship and expose what really happened.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was shot on location in Barrow, Alaska, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's hometown. The production took place roughly 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

• Filming involved severe logistical challenges, including temperatures near -40 degrees, travel by sled and snowmobile, shifting sea ice, and the danger of polar bears near the set.

• Much of the cast consisted of local nonprofessional performers. Before filming, the principal candidates took part in an intensive acting workshop in Anchorage, followed by extended rehearsals in Barrow.

• MacLean developed the feature from his 2008 short film Sikumi, which explored similar themes of violence, morality, and the consequences of a killing. The feature changes the setting to contemporary Barrow and focuses on teenagers.

• The film had its world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and won both the Best First Feature prize and the Crystal Bear in the Generation 14plus program at the Berlin International Film Festival.

• The remote setting was central to the production design and storytelling. The vast, nearly monochromatic landscape gives the crime story the atmosphere of an isolated frontier drama while also presenting modern Inupiat life.