Natar Ungalaaq

Who is Natar Ungalaaq?

Natar Ungalaaq is a Canadian Inuit actor, filmmaker, and sculptor whose artwork is in many major collections of Inuit art worldwide. Before playing the lead roles in Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner and Ce qu'il faut pour vivre, Ungalaaq played major roles in other Canadian and American films, including Kabloonak, Glory & Honor and Frostfire. He is also producer and director of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation.

He was the carving buddy of director Zacharias Kunuk before they sold their handmade objets d'art to buy their first camera gear in 1981 and start a production company based in an Inuit community that didn't even have a TV.

Natar is also a renowned carver. He began carving when he was 9 or 10 years old, using his grandfathers tools. A carving of a Sedna made of white soapstone, "Sedna with a Hairbrush 1985", is featured in the National Gallery of Canada's collection.