Inuit creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril want everyone to know that one of the coldest places in the world is bursting with warmth, joy, and community. Their new comedy series, North of North, captures the joys of Arctic life through the eyes of a young Inuk mother.  

After a dramatic exit from her marriage, Siaja, played by Inuk actress Anna Lambe, is ready to reinvent herself. She’s chaotic but well-meaning, and is determined to build a new life in her tiny Arctic town (where everyone knows her business). In Season 1, she navigates a new career, motherhood, new relationships, and some shocking secrets from her past. 

“People are going to be really drawn to Siaja. She’s so root-worthy, and you end up really caring for her and wanting the best for her,” says Aglok MacDonald. Equally as compelling as Siaja’s empowering arc in the series is the ensemble around her. Each with their own quirks and charms, this cast of characters paints a heart-warming picture of a tight-knit Arctic community.

North of North is set in the fictional town of Ice Cove, but was shot on location in and around Iqaluit. Arnaquq-Baril says this took some convincing—initially, they weren’t sure if it was possible to shoot a series of this scale in the Arctic. But from day one on set, the payoff was clear. 

“You don’t get a sense of what authentic, genuine life is like in the North without the North!” says Aglok MacDonald. “It was immediately apparent how spectacular it looks,” adds Arnaquq-Baril. “And it’s not just about having a pretty aesthetic to the show. The land is a character, the community is a character.”

Aglok MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril were intentional about working with local Inuit artisans and designers, and hiring community members as background actors and guides for the crew. They also hope an authentic representation of life in the North will dispel long-held stereotypes about the region.

“The North isn’t this vast, uninhabitable space like it has been portrayed so often in the media. It’s a place of warmth and beauty,” says Arnaquq-Baril. The co-creators made sure that the landscapes shown in the series were lived in, capturing Ski-Doo trails and houses, rather than portraying the land as untouched.

Vibrant clothing and interiors were also important to the series’ aesthetic. “Because we come from a place where there’s so much white, Inuit gravitate towards colour and pattern. Our houses are colourful, our fashion is colourful,” Aglok MacDonald explains. “Yes, we live in a cold place, but there’s so much warmth there…because of the people and the family and the community and the connections.” 

North of North is premiering on CBC in January, but will also launch globally on Netflix in Spring 2025. For Aglok MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril, it is huge that the show will reach audiences not only in Canada, but around the world, showcasing an authentic representation of Inuit culture and everyday life in the North to a global audience.

“We wanted to tell an Indigenous story in a way that I don’t think most people have seen before,” Aglok MacDonald says. “It’s usually traumatic or dark or there’s a lot of victimization, and that doesn’t feel 100% accurate to us.”

As Arnaquq-Baril notes, Indigenous comedies are having a moment right now. With the huge success of the award-winning series Reservation Dogs, plus recent comedies like Don’t Even and Acting Good, she notes that many Indigenous creators are embracing the opportunity to tell their stories in a more light-hearted format.

“When we finally get a chance to tell our story in series form, that’s clearly something that we’re aching to do, itching to do. It’s a format that really suits our daily lives, and that feels genuine to us.”

Beyond North of North, Aglok MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril are dedicated to growing the film and TV industry in Nunavut. Their company, Red Marrow Media, is in the process of opening the first major production studio in the North. This infrastructure will allow for more films and series to shoot in Nunavut, and pave the way for a new generation of Inuit and Indigenous creatives to work on traditional land.

“We want to make it accessible to our community, to other productions, to up-and-comers. It’s a space that we certainly wish that we had access to when we were starting out,” Aglok MacDonald says.

They both credit the Indigenous Screen Office for supporting their vision for a booming Northern film and TV industry. “They saw that we’re on the cusp of something in Nunavut, we’ve got a little production industry. It’s small, but it’s active, and it’s been going for a long time, and we’re ready for a space like that,” Arnaquq-Baril says. 

North of North is definitely poised to make waves—both on and off-screen. The creators tell us there is no shortage of surprises to come in the first season. 

“[Expect] some jarring surprises, some love, some romance, some adventure,” says Aglok MacDonald. “There’s definitely more than one jaw-dropping moment in this season,” adds Arnaquq-Baril. 

North of North will have its world premiere in Canada on CBC (CBC TV and CBC Gem) and APTN beginning Tuesday, January 7 with the first two episodes, followed by weekly episodes.