The Experimental Eskimos

20092009
1h 10m

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Documentary

In the early 1960s the Canadian government conducted an experiment in social engineering. Three young Inuit boys were separated from their families in the Arctic and were sent to Ottawa, the... Read allIn the early 1960s the Canadian government conducted an experiment in social engineering. Three young Inuit boys were separated from their families in the Arctic and were sent to Ottawa, the nation's capital, to live with white families and to be educated in white schools. The co... Read allIn the early 1960s the Canadian government conducted an experiment in social engineering. Three young Inuit boys were separated from their families in the Arctic and were sent to Ottawa, the nation's capital, to live with white families and to be educated in white schools. The consequences the experiment would have on the boys, their identity and culture was brushed a... Read all

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

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Director
- Barry Greenwald
Stars

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Awards
- 2 wins

Top review

8/10

The Experimental Eskimos - hope and no hope at the same time.

This movie is a movie that leaves the viewer feeling very confused after watching it. On the one hand it is a movie of success and on the other hand it is a movie about failure. How is success measured? By our personal achievements, or by how society views our personal achievements? What happens when the society marked achievements, such as being able to have your own form of First Nations rule your own territory equals societal acceptance versus the inner turmoil that one feels as an individual inside oneself. That is what I think this movie is all about. To me, the director of the movie is questioning his own existence. He does this by weaving a story about the Canadian natives because of the symbolic nature of Eskimos (spiritual, mystical and authentic versus fake). The film director himself is in an existential crisis, searching for true meaning, and at the same time he created a Master piece of time with, The Experimental Eskimos.

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