Natar Ungalaaq

Born in Igloolik in 1959, Natar Ungalaaq is a Canadian Inuk actor, filmmaker, and carver whose sculptures are held in leading Inuit art institutions. He started carving with his grandfather's tools as a child, and later sold his work with Zacharias Kunuk to finance their first camera equipment in 1981; the two then founded a production company in an Inuit community with no television. Ungalaaq took major roles in Kabloonak (1995) and Glory & Honor (1998) before leading Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001) and The Necessities of Life (2008). His performances earned Best Actor at the American Indian Movie Awards for Atanarjuat, and for The Necessities of Life he won Genie and Jutra awards as well as Best Actor at Palm Springs. He works as a producer and director for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation, and in 2016 he made his directing debut with Searchers, codirected with Kunuk.