Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband): A Spiritual Battle To Reclaim Promised Love
- Michael Ornelas
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk breathes life into Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), a spiritual love story that fuses history, culture, mythology, and romance into something both timeless and deeply human. Regardless of cultural background, the film taps into the universal longing to hold on to true love, a desire that transcends language and resonates throughout the entire story.
At its heart, the film follows Sapa (Haiden Angutimarik) and Kaujak (Theresia Kappianaq), two teenagers promised to one another since birth who genuinely fall in love. Their bond, however, is threatened when malevolent spirits interfere, setting off a chain of events that forces them apart. Yet neither loses faith that love can be reclaimed. Kunuk seamlessly blends Inuit storytelling traditions with mythological elements, troll-like creatures, spiritual battles, and shamanic visions, that never feel fantastical for the sake of spectacle, but instead grow naturally from the cultural roots established early in the film.
The authenticity of the world is bolstered by meticulous attention to detail: the costumes, tools, and production design transport us to the Arctic thousands of years ago while somehow keeping the story emotionally immediate and relevant today.
Remarkably, both Angutimarik and Kappianaq make their film debuts here, along with much of the supporting cast. Their warm, open performances pull the audience into their love story, convincing us of a connection that feels years in the making. The rest of the ensemble, from leaders and shamans to spirits and rivals, embody characters with such precision that even viewers unfamiliar with Inuit culture can easily understand their roles and significance.
Though this was my first encounter with Kunuk’s work, his career is already vast with more than 30 documentaries and multiple award-winning features. His imagination and creativity shine through here, leaving me eager to dive deeper into his filmography. If his other works are even half as moving and inventive as Uiksaringitara, they’re bound to leave a lasting impression.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Kunuk (prior to him winning the TIFF Best Canadian Feature Award) to discuss his filmmaking journey and why now was the right moment to bring this, 15 years in the making, story to light. Full interview below.
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