Arctic Son

Arctic Son is an immersive and intimate documentary that highlights the struggle of relationships between generations and the clash between modernity and tradition. This 2006 film has been directed by the accomplished documentarian Andrew Walton.

The movie centers around the relationship between a father and son of the remote Gwich'in Native American tribe in the Arctic Circle – Stanley and JR – who, despite the vast physical distance between them, navigate their relationships, their cultural heritage, and the complexities of their world.

Stanley Njootli is an experienced and hardened father who has decided to live a life of hunting and trapping, which is resolutely remote, deep within the Arctic wilderness of Old Crow, Yukon. Subsisting in freezing temperatures and isolated from the majority of society, Stanley is a master of reindeer snowshoes carving, utilizing traditional traps to catch animals for sustenance. His life is rooted in simplicity and tradition, following the ways of the ancestors of the Gwich’in indigenous community.

His son JR Njootli, on the other hand, has grown up primarily with his mother in Washington State. The 21-year-olds world is filled with video games, fast food, and urban lifestyle - a stark contrast to the solitary, survivalist lifestyle his father has chosen. Yet, he is drawn to his father's culture and upbringing. When he decides to spend a winter with his father in the Arctic, the two struggle to reconcile the cultural gap that has grown between them.

The story of Arctic Son is an exploration of human resilience, contrasting lifestyles, and the age-old struggle between tradition and modernity. Andrew Walton does an outstanding job of capturing the austere beauty of the wintery Arctic wilderness and contrasts it with the urban jungle JR is used to.

In the film, Walton masterfully documents JR's journey as he grapples with the harsh realities of survival in the Arctic. From the intricacies of setting a deadfall trap, skinning an animal, to cutting wood for heat, Walton captures the grueling amount of work that defines everyday life in the Arctic. It’s a way of life that has molded Stanley into a tough and self-reliant man.

Arctic Son also delves deep into the relationship between a father and son as they attempt to bridge their cultural and generational differences. The father-son conversations - both verbal and non-verbal - are insightful and serve as a compelling narrative to the film. Their interaction evolves from initial discomfort and misunderstanding to respect and appreciation for each other's different worlds.

Walton also shines a light on the Gwich'in tribe, their way of life, traditions, and languages that are at risk of being lost in today's world, depicting a world where the younger generation is straddling two different cultures. He embeds viewers into the heart of Gwich'in culture, depicting the beauty and the challenges of this remote community. Experiencing their values and traditions, viewers witness an authentic narrative of indigenous life, far away from clichés and stereotypes.

Throughout the film viewers are immersed in the daily grind of survival in the Arctic. The harsh weather, formidable wildlife, and the haunting loneliness all play key roles in understanding Stanley's life and values. At the same time, we also get a glimpse into JR's world; his longing for connection, his attempt to comprehend his father's values, and his struggle to reconcile the conflicting realities that define his life.

At the heart of it, Arctic Son is a story about societal changes, familial bonds, and the age-old clash between the old world and the new. It's an evocative journey into a father-son relationship that crosses cultural and generational divides, set against the backdrop of a remote and harsh yet strikingly beautiful wilderness.

This documentary film is more than a visual kaleidoscope of two contrasting worlds. It is an intimate portrait of a father and son trying to understand each other's life perspectives- two lives living in different parts of the world, shaped by different cultural realities. This gripping story of human struggle and reconciliation adds a considerable depth to the experiences of the audience, making Arctic Son a truly memorable documentary.