Saattuq the Inuit of northern Canada call ice. But for the Inuit who have always inhabited these desolate lands, it also means life, a life based on hunting and fishing. Threatening their survival is global warming. Scientists have estimated that by the end of this century this enormous area will be completely devoid of ice in summer… an ecologic disaster of unimaginable extent. The film enquires into the possible implications of this prospect and the political and economic stakes involved. For the area holds immense strategic importance for the countries bordering it: the U.S., Canada, Denmark, and Russia are all eager to claim control of the northern passage for world shipping routes.
