Walls – Akinni Inuk – Greenland

Two strong Greenlandic women are united by a shared traumatic past and a chaotic present – one behind bars, the other behind a cool facade. A moving journey for justice, freedom, and a second chance at life. 

Walls – Akinni Inuk is a documentary that has been eight years in the making. The directors Sofie Rørdam and Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg have carefully navigated the shifts in focus throughout the long production period. The film effectively illustrates the unpredictability inherent in long-term documentary projects. Its three layers – the autobiographical footage filmed by inmates, a portrait of Ruth serving a prison sentence, and the evolving friendship between Ruth and Nina – come together to form a nuanced and multi-faceted narrative. The documentary addresses weighty themes such as murder, imprisonment, violence, and neglect. Yet, the directing and editing have avoided dramatisation and sensationalism. Instead, the film is marked by a subtle warmth, moments of optimism, and even touches of humour. This unsentimental and direct approach, occasionally accompanied by a quiet glint in the eye, lends the documentary a distinctive narrative tone with a clearly Greenlandic character. Gustav Lynge Petrussen underscores magnificently this tone through his original music. Evocative sceneries woven into the quiet scenes featuring intimate conversations between Ruth and Nina provide authenticity in their gradual recognition of their mutual destiny. Through the lives of the two women, whose paths could easily have been reversed, the film explores the fragile and unpredictable nature of freedom and independence across generations, both for individuals and societies. This theme is especially poignant when framed in the context of external influences such as colonialism.

Sofie Rørdam is a Danish filmmaker and adventurer whose work has always been centred on creating impact and making change. She has lived and worked around the world, mostly in Asia, with filmmaking and peace work in the fields of human rights and the human spirit. Sofie is an explorer-in-residence at Kensington Tours. In her work she draws upon her background as a certified Betzavta (democracy training) and restorative circle facilitator as well as yoga teacher. Exploring the strong connection between the personal and the political – our social structures and our mental structures. Sofie has studied journalism at Hong Kong University and holds a BA in Film and Media studies and a MA in Visual Culture studies from the University of Copenhagen. 

Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg is a Greenlandic film producer and director who has worked in the creative industry since 2010. She has primarily focused on creating projects that highlight Greenlandic stories and local talents. Her directorial debut, WALLS – Akinni Inuk, marks an important step in her film career, where she delves into complex topics such as justice, punishment, and identity. Previously, she produced The Edge of The Shadows (Alanngut Killinganni), which was nominated as the first Greenlandic film for the Nordic Council Film Prize in 2023. 

Emile Hertling Péronard is an award-winning and Oscar-nominated Greenlandic film producer based in Denmark with production company Ánorâk Film operating out of both Nuuk and Copenhagen. In 2020, he launched Greenland’s first production service company, Polarama Greenland, to advance the Greenlandic film industry and pave the way for more Greenlandic screen content. A 2023 Cannes Producer on the Move, Emile is also the Chair of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund, a Co-director at ARTEF – the Anti-Racism Taskforce for European Film, the Executive Director of Nuuk International Film Festival, and in 2023, he was awarded the Greenlandic film prize, Innersuaq, for his work. 

Main directors: Sofie Rørdam, Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg  
Main producer: Emile Hertling Péronard 
Production company: Ánorâk Film 
Original title: WALLS – Akinni Inuk 
International title: WALLS – Akinni Inuk 
National premiere: 08.04.25 
Total length in minutes: 75