Freeze Frame

by Ann Fienup-Riordan

Freeze Frame takes a penetrating, often humorous, look at how Eskimos have been portrayed in nearly a century of film, from the pioneering documentaries of missionaries and Arctic explorers to Eskimo Pie commercials of the 1990s. Some of these works are serious attempts to depict a culture; others are unabashed entertainment, featuring papier mache igloos and zebra-skin parkas. Even filmmakers who sought authenticity were likely to build igloos in villages that had never seen one, and to hire nonnative actors to portray the Eskimo principals. The representation of a culture in film is a complex interplay of portrayal and reaction. Ann Fienup-Riordan explores the issues of authenticity and power that are central to the current debate over film portrayals of indigenous peoples. She describes the work done by native broadcasters and filmmakers - beginning with Alaska Eskimo actor Ray Mala's pre-World War II screenplay about Eskimo life - as well as the participation by native actors in ma