The Greenlandic-Danish documentary “Twice Colonized” shows the personal journey of Greenlandic Inuit Aaju Peter, on which she embarks after a stroke of fate. Last week, it was announced that the film will have its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival early next year.
The film tells the story of Greenlandic Inuit lawyer and activist Aaju Peter, who has dedicated her entire life to fighting for the indigenous peoples of the Arctic: defending their human rights and fighting to bring their colonial masters in Canada and in Denmark to justice. When her youngest son dies unexpectedly, she embarks on a complex and very personal journey. On the one hand, to heal her own wounds and, on the other, to reclaim her language and culture after a lifetime of being white-washed and forcibly assimilated, according to the website of the ánorâk film company.
Aaju Peter advocates internationally for the democratic rights and independence of indigenous peoples, for example by seeking the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Forum at the European Union.
The screenplay for the 92-minute documentary was written by Aaju Peter himself. It follows her work in Greenland, Denmark, and her new home in Nunavut, Canada, where she now lives and advocates for indigenous rights on a global level.
“The film was seven years in the making. For me and Aaju it has been a long journey full of laughter and tears, so I am incredibly touched by this recognition from Sundance,” says a delighted Danish director Lin Alluna, who is making her feature film debut with “Twice Colonized”. “Aaju is an engaging person who generously shares her life story with us and bares her soul for us to learn from. I hope the film will inspire the world, just as she inspired all of us who came together to make the film with her.”
The world premiere of the film will be at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival, which will be held in Park City, Utah, USA from January 19-29, 2023. The film has already won the “Best Documentary in Progress” award at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022.
Julia Hager, PolarJournal
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