Alone Across the Arctic

Acclaimed explorer Adam Shoalts brings a canoe, his full repertoire of wilderness survival skills and copious amounts of insect repellent on an extraordinary trek across 4,000 kilometres of the remote North. The intrepid Shoalts aims to cross the breadth of the northernmost wilds of the country, from the Yukon to Nunavut in a race against the elements: he must navigate treacherous and uncharted waterways before the onset of winter renders the terrain impassable. Along the way Shoalts thoughtfully observes desolate cabins and telltale signs of previous expeditions gone awry, their remnants preserved in permafrost. Some more comedic episodes include a tent hole that leads to an interminable overnight bug invasion. And who knew there was more vitamin C to be gained from boiling fir needles than eating an orange? (Whistler Film Festival)