Aalaapi

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced the unique challenge of filming the live stage play Aalaapi, which was initially intended for the Berliner Festspiele. Aalaapi, meaning “Choosing silence to hear something beautiful” in Inuktitut, blends documentary and radio testimonies in French, English, and Inuktitut. The play provides an intimate portrayal of five young women from Nunavik, exploring their experiences between the North and the South.

Filmed in an empty theater due to pandemic restrictions, we navigated the complexities of capturing a performance with dark lighting and extensive projections. Using five cameras and live editing, we documented the play in real-time, followed by detailed post-production work to refine the footage and add subtitles. This approach ensured that the nuanced stories of these women were effectively conveyed, showcasing the richness of their histories and the promise of their futures.