Miles Morrisseau
ICT
The global hit television show, “North of North”, tells Inuit stories that are deeply personal to the show’s creators and talent.
“North of North feels so deeply personal and the first season still feels like this baby that we all nurtured and so knowing it was going to go international and then people around the world get to see it. But finding out that people in Japan or people in Spain or Brazil are watching,” Anna Lambe who plays the lead character Siaja tells ICT. “The celebration of it and the love for it in our community, in Canada, and then internationally it’s just been such an outpouring of love. I feel so grateful.”
Maika Harper, who plays Siaja’s mother Neevee, has heard from fans of the show from around the world.
“It’s quite surreal to get messages from people in Japan that are excited about Indigenous northern comedy and our characters on the show,” Harper tells ICT. “It seems so far away but resonates.”
The story of “North of North” revolves around Siaja’s journey to end an unhappy relationship and begin a journey of self-discovery; while living in a small community that wants you to remain static.
As she begins to follow her own path, her relationships evolve especially with her mother.
“The story of North of North is universal. The experiences, the relationships, the humanity of it is there and that’s the most important thing,” Lambe says. “It’s set within a very specific cultural context and in a very specific place but what Siaja is going through and the relationship that Siaja and Neevee have and this idea of trying to figure out who you are and what you want, we all go through that at different points in our lives and I think that’s why it’s been so relatable despite where people come from.”
“North of North” is not only coming from an isolated place, but the Inuit have long controlled the media. Television Northern Canada was established in 1992 as a primary Inuit controlled broadcaster that became the Aboriginal Peoples Network in 1999.
Created by Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, each have extensive credits in film and television, with both crediting their homegrown supports.
“Inuit have had a strong production community for decades now and sometimes people are surprised to learn that but it’s not just us, there’s there are a lot of Inuit that work in the industry and we kind of, what’s the expression, punch above our weight,” Arnaquq-Baril says. “We’ve got a really active community of filmmakers and storytellers and people on the radio storytelling on the radio as well…we just need the opportunity to hit the global stage and that’s something that we’re really grateful we’ve been able to do with North of North because we’re ready.”
The two showrunners had confidence that people would get what they were doing.
“We hoped that our show coming up into the world would receive that kind of love because we certainly know it’s possible but at the end of the day you don’t know what’s going to rise above and hook people,” MacDonald tells ICT. “We’re just really grateful that N was able to do that and that we had partners and you know streamers and networks that pushed it far and wide into the world.”
In addition to the storyline and location, the show also showcases Inuit artists, musicians and fashions.
“To be able to platform so many incredible seamstresses, people who put so much work and effort into every single thing that they make,” Lambe says. “To really pay respects to the creativity and the work that goes into small independent designers who are taking aspects of culture and tradition and kind of reimagining them. What a privilege.”
The new season promises to be a fun ride.
“Siaja’s world just explodes in every avenue, her family, her work, her love life, it’s an exciting rollercoaster,” says Harper.
Lambe promises that the story will continue to build on the relationships and plotlines established in the first season.
“You think the mess can’t get any messier and then it just does,” says Lambe. “Also Neevee shares something that she hasn’t shared with anyone and that plotline about Siaja’s sister is so important throughout the entirety of season two. That relationship between Siaja and Neevee, trying to dance around it with Neevee never wanting to be too vulnerable and Siaja being so incredibly nosey. It’s a fun and interesting dynamic.”
The show cleaned up at 2026 Canadian Screen Awards winning nine awards, the most of any comedy; including Best Comedy Series, Best Lead Performer for Anna Lambe, Best Supporting Performer for Maika Harper, Best Direction and Best Writing, Best Ensemble Performance, and Best Guest Performance for Tanya Tagaq.
An APTN, CBC and Netflix original series,” North of North” is produced by Red Marrow Media and Northwood Entertainment. The series was created and executive produced by MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril and executive produced by Miranda de Pencier of Northwood Entertainment.
The creators believed they could create a story that would resonate around the world; they just needed the chance to prove it.
“It’s taken a long time to convince networks and buyers and distributors that our communities are interesting and entertaining,” Arnaquq-Baril Alethea says. “But we’ve always known that we connect with content from all over the world, we watch Canadian shows, we watch American shows, we watch Icelandic crime dramas. If we can connect with people from elsewhere, then other people can connect with us.”
