The Necessities of Life

Aug 25, 2008

1h 42m

★ 7.4

Overview

In 1952, an Inuit hunter named Tivii with tuberculosis leaves his northern home and family to go recuperate at a sanatorium in Quebec City. Uprooted, far from his loved ones, unable to speak French and faced with a completely alien world, he becomes despondent. When he refuses to eat and expresses a wish to die, his nurse, Carole, comes to the realization that Tivii's illness is not the most serious threat to his well-being. She arranges to have a young orphan, Kaki, transferred to the institution. The boy is also sick, but has experience with both worlds and speaks both languages. By sharing his culture with Kaki and opening it up to others, Tivii rediscovers his pride and energy. Ultimately he also rediscovers hope through a plan to adopt Kaki, bring him home and make him part of his family

Genres

Drama

Production Companies

Téléfilm Canada

Astral Media

Société Radio-Canada

Super Écran

APTN

ACPAV

SODEC

The Necessities of Life Trailers

Cast

Tiivii

Natar Ungalaaq

Carole

Éveline Gélinas

Kaki

Paul-André Brasseur

Soeur Luce

Louise Marleau

Dr. Montpetit

Guy Thauvette

Roger

Antoine Bertrand

Joseph

Vincent-Guillaume Otis

Père Millaire

Denis Bernard

L'horloger

Luc Proulx

Qupanuaq

Miali Buscemi

Infirmière de jour

Ann-Sophie Archer

Patient jaloux

Alexandre Thériault

Based on a local legend and set in an unknown era, it deals with universal themes of love, possessiveness, family, jealousy and power. Beautifully shot, and acted by Inuit people, it portrays a time when people fought duels by taking turns to punch each other until one was unconscious, made love on the way to the caribou hunt, ate walrus meat and lit their igloos with seal-oil lamps.

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