Set in Nunavut in northern Canada, North of North follows the joys and trials of Siaja (Lambe), a 26-year-old Inuit woman who is, for the first time, learning to live for and learn more about herself. “I went from taking care of you to taking care of him,” she tells her mother after deciding to split with her narcissistic husband. It’s a desire any ambitious person stuck in a small town or unhappy marriage will sympathize with, but things like class and race complicate Siaja’s situation. “You’re acting like a white girl with options,” her mother replies. But Siaja forges on and applies for a job in the town center. The show is mostly sweet, comedic, and inspiring (think Reservation Dogs and Parks and Recreation). Romantic comedy and workplace hijinks abound. But it doesn’t glaze over the Inuit community’s bleak history and realities. Siaja’s mom’s unfortunate experience with residential schooling, for one, and the town’s struggle with climate change, for another, provide sobering, thought-provoking moments. North of North isn’t without its flaws—the writing can be sharper and the directing tighter, with less unintentionally awkward pauses—but for the most part, it’s pleasant and hopeful, which is refreshing to watch with everything going on.
"With its mix of Indigenous cultural specificity, a winning coming-of-age story, and a charming ensemble, North of North is delightfully bingeable."
— Roxana Hadadi
"A mostly winning exploration of Inuit culture, the stressful limitations of life in a small town, and the heartbreaking intersection between who you are and who you want to be."
— Nandini Balial
A young Inuk woman wants to build a new future for herself after a spontaneous and extremely public exit from her marriage. It won't be easy in a small Arctic town where everybody knows your business.
In the small town of Ice Cove, Siaja (Anna Lambe) breaks loose from her narcissistic husband and tries to start fresh by getting a job, navigating single motherhood, and trying her luck in love.
The cultural specifics and charms.
It often feels like Parks and Recreation by way of Reservation Dogs, but its unique, Nunavut-cool voice ultimately strengthens it.
