Invisible

We think of the arctic as a pristine wilderness. When scientists went to collect breast milk from Inuit mothers, they were expecting to find the purest milk anywhere on earth. But the levels went off the scale. The milk of the Inuit mothers was loaded with chemicals migrating from the south.

‘Invisible’ tells the story of how man-made chemicals are building up in our bodies and being passed from mother to child. These hormone-disrupting substances are causing havoc with the reproductive systems and neurological health of animals and humans across the planet and now scientists cannot find a single woman anywhere in the world who does not have chemicals such as flame retardants in her breast milk.

In this beautiful and thought-provoking film, artist and film maker Roz Mortimer leads us on a hypnotic journey to the high arctic. Using medieval texts and maps to question hierarchies of knowledge, Mortimer shows us epic scenes of contemporary Inuit life, explores their traditional connection to the earth and stages dramatic tableaux vivant in landscapes of frozen sea. ‘Invisible’ has a unique musical score including free-yoik from Sami musician Wimme Saari, live and operatic throatsinging from Inuit artist Tanya Tagaq and an exquisite theremin composition from Michael Kosmides.

Featuring the award winning environmental scientist Theo Colborn; the chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference Sheila Watt-Cloutier; and Inuit mothers who offer emotionally charged testimonies; this provocative film resists the conventions of science documentaries and questions how we live in the world today.

Filmed entirely on Baffin Island, Nunavut, in the communities of Iqaluit and Qikiqtarjuaq.