Having watched documentaries “Twice Colonized” (2023) and “Angry Inuk” (2016) I was expecting the Greenlandic Danish documentary “Walls – Akinni Inuk” to be infused with anger about the mistreatment of Greenlandic Inuk within the Greenlandic prison system.
I saw no anger but frustration with the judicial system incarcerating Ruth in Greenlandic custodial detention for 12 ½ years courtesy of an indefinite custodial sentence. As a Canadian lawyer far removed from the practice of criminal law, criminal sentences in Canada are usually for a fixed term unless a serious criminal offence results in an NCR court decision i.e. not criminally responsible where the accused is sentenced to an indefinite custodial sentence at “His Majesty’s Pleasure”.
Ruth murdered the man who sexually abused her then killed another man she believed had murdered her mother.
Greenland is not independent being under ultimate control of Denmark although it has a degree of self government. Greenland is responsible for the administration of justice and maintains its own criminal law and prison and probation services.
Filmmaker Nina Paninnguaq Skysdsbjerg sets out to make a documentary about the Greenlandic detention system and in the early stage of filming encounters Ruth and feels a connection and the documentary becomes a focus on Ruth.
As Ruth and Nina converse over a period of time they discover both have suffered from sexual abuse, had alcoholic mothers and have suffered unhappy childhoods. Nina confesses enraged like Ruth was she wished to kill her abuser but changed her mind at the last moment.
Nina and Ruth are deeply wounded souls and their pain and torments emerge through their conversations but the extraction of the bad leads to healing and a deep friendship. The healing is a slow process taking a toll on a clearly emotional Nina who looks haggard and exhausted reliving and explaining her past to Ruth.
Far on in their relationship Nina becomes pregnant and in a poignant scene in the documentary Ruth, a mother herself, feels Nina’s stomach and the movement of the fetus and a look of joy accompanied by sparkling eyes and smiles completely transforms Ruth and may be the most powerful moment in the documentary.
A testament to compassion, friendship and the absolute necessity for second chances when they are completely warranted. Nina stands by not an angry Inuk but a largely forgotten and ignored Inuk and in the process shackles of trauma and imprisonment are broken.
There are physical walls between Nina and Ruth but through time together those walls crumble.
Directed by Sofie Rórdam and Nina Paninnguaq Skysdsbjerg.
Screening 26/28April.
RKS Documentary Film Rating 78/100.
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