Documentary backdrop image for Down North (2020)

202029 minPGdocumentary

Indigenous Histories Industrial Policy

Down North

202029 minPGdocumentary

In the District of Mackenzie, communities like Hay River and Yellowknife experience economic growth through modern technology in mining and lumber industries.

Indigenous Histories Industrial Policy

Genres

Channel: NFB

Down North

2020• 29 minPG

Synopsis

In the District of Mackenzie, communities like Hay River and Yellowknife experience economic growth through modern technology in mining and lumber industries.

Synopsis

In the 1.3 million square kilometer District of Mackenzie, advancements in technology and winter transport methods are reshaping local industries. Communities such as Hay River, Yellowknife, and Port Radium are experiencing growth in mining, lumber, and other sectors, creating new economic opportunities for residents. Directed by Hector Lemieux in 1958, "Down North" provides a detailed report on these sub-Arctic developments and their impact on the local population.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Malartic (2024)

Malartic

2024•1h28m•★8.0TMDB

In Malartic, Quebec, the operations of an open-pit gold mine have led to economic disparity and environmental concerns, highlighting issues of land management and local governance.

Nanook of the North (1922)

Nanook of the North

1922•1h19m•★7.1TMDB

The 1922 film depicts the lives of the Inuit people in northern Quebec, illustrating their survival techniques in a harsh climate.

Nanook of the North

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides (2026)

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides

Economic inequality in Canada is shaped by geography, history, and access to opportunity, highlighting the divides between urban and rural regions and Indigenous communities.

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides

Some Natives of Churchill (2019)

Some Natives of Churchill

Churchill, Manitoba, has eight weeks of shipping each summer, but faces isolation for the rest of the year due to its harsh climate.

Some Natives of Churchill

Sovereign Soil (2021)

Sovereign Soil

2021•1h31m•★7.0TMDB

In the sub-Arctic town of Dawson City, Yukon, a diverse group of farmers cultivates crops in the harsh boreal forest, showcasing their resilience and connection to the land.

If the Weather Permits (2022)

If the Weather Permits

2022•28m•★7.5TMDB

40 years ago, white authorities killed dogs to prevent Inuit from traveling, a decision that still impacts the community's connection to their land.

If the Weather Permits

This Land (2014)

This Land

A 2000-km expedition to the northernmost tip of Canadian soil, 412 km from the North Pole, showcases the Arctic's beauty and challenges.

Canada's Reindeer (2023)

Canada's Reindeer

In 1935, a herd of 2,700 reindeer was transported from Alaska to northern Canada to enhance the economic conditions of the Inuit population through herding.

Canada's Reindeer

Unforeseen Dangers (2024)

Unforeseen Dangers

Seven children accompany their father on a challenging spring trip to teach them traditional hunting practices in Alaska's changing environment.

Unforeseen Dangers

Limit is the Sky (2024)

Limit is the Sky

Six young Canadians in Fort McMurray face the aftermath of wildfires that destroyed homes and disrupted their lives in a city reliant on oil.

Limit is the Sky

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison? (2025)

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

Mandaluyong City's Correctional Institution for Women, the oldest women's prison in the Philippines, houses over three thousand inmates amid strict security challenges.

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel (2021)

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel

The clothing industry has seen a decline in prices over decades, while the human and environmental costs, highlighted by figures like Stella McCartney and Vandana Shiva, have surged dramatically.

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel

Explore Down North

Where else to watch

Malartic (2024)

Malartic

2024•1h28m•★8.0TMDB

In Malartic, Quebec, the operations of an open-pit gold mine have led to economic disparity and environmental concerns, highlighting issues of land management and local governance.

No digital watch option in your country

Sovereign Soil (2021)

Sovereign Soil

2021•1h31m•★7.0TMDB

In the sub-Arctic town of Dawson City, Yukon, a diverse group of farmers cultivates crops in the harsh boreal forest, showcasing their resilience and connection to the land.

No digital watch option in your country

Highway to the Arctic (2017)

Highway to the Arctic

2017•43m•★7.0TMDB

Winter transforms the Northwest Territories into over 1,000 kilometers of ice roads, crucial for connecting remote communities in the Arctic.

Highway to the Arctic

Broken Promises: The High Arctic Relocation (1995)

Broken Promises: The High Arctic Relocation

1995•53m•★9.0TMDB

Inuit families were promised they could return home after two years, but they did not see their ancestral lands for 30 years.

Broken Promises: The High Arctic Relocation

Northlore (2025)

Northlore

2025•54m•★6.0TMDB

Snow-covered landscapes in Canada’s North reveal Indigenous peoples' ties to the land and wildlife, focusing on environmental conservation and current challenges.

Melting Souls (2018)

Melting Souls

2018•1h27m•★7.0TMDB

Temperatures in Norilsk can drop to -60°C, shaping the lives of over 180,000 residents in one of the world's most extreme environments.

Kiruna - A Brand New World

2020•1h20m•★8.0TMDB

3 kilometers to the east is the distance the entire town of Kiruna will be relocated to avoid collapse from extensive mining operations.

Kiruna - A Brand New World

Inherent Good (2017)

Inherent Good

2017•56m•★10.0TMDB

A small fraction of Americans controls the majority of the nation's wealth, while the film discusses Universal Basic Income as a potential solution.

Flyin' Cut Sleeves (1993)

Flyin' Cut Sleeves

1993•1h•★4.5TMDB

Over twenty years, the lives of street gang presidents in the Bronx are documented, revealing their struggles and transformations across four generations.

Flyin' Cut Sleeves

One of Ours (2021)

One of Ours

2021•1h28m•★8.0TMDB

One Haitian Canadian youth is barred from a major Indigenous basketball tournament in 2016, raising questions about identity and belonging within his adoptive family.

Browse more like this

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides (2026)

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides

Economic inequality in Canada is shaped by geography, history, and access to opportunity, highlighting the divides between urban and rural regions and Indigenous communities.

Regional Inequality & Economic Divides

No digital watch option in your country

Canada's Reindeer (2023)

Canada's Reindeer

In 1935, a herd of 2,700 reindeer was transported from Alaska to northern Canada to enhance the economic conditions of the Inuit population through herding.

Canada's Reindeer

No digital watch option in your country

Unforeseen Dangers (2024)

Unforeseen Dangers

Seven children accompany their father on a challenging spring trip to teach them traditional hunting practices in Alaska's changing environment.

Unforeseen Dangers

No digital watch option in your country

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison? (2025)

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

Mandaluyong City's Correctional Institution for Women, the oldest women's prison in the Philippines, houses over three thousand inmates amid strict security challenges.

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

No digital watch option in your country

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel (2021)

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel

The clothing industry has seen a decline in prices over decades, while the human and environmental costs, highlighted by figures like Stella McCartney and Vandana Shiva, have surged dramatically.

The True Cost of Clothing - True Story Documentary Channel

No digital watch option in your country

Great North (2001)

Great North

2001•42m•★6.4TMDB

Inuit communities in the Great North rely on traditional fishing and hunting practices, which are vital for their cultural identity and survival.

Rigs of Nigg (2021)

Rigs of Nigg

2021•58m•★8.0TMDB

In the early 1970s, the construction of oil rigs in Nigg transforms the local community, forever changing their way of life and economy.

Des nouvelles du Nord (2007)

Des nouvelles du Nord

More than 1,000 kilometers northwest of Montreal, the James Bay project transformed the lives of residents in Radisson and Chisasibi in the 1970s.

Des nouvelles du Nord

See You Tomorrow Elina (2011)

See You Tomorrow Elina

Children in Iran navigate their lives amid political decisions that influence their growth and family relationships throughout history.

See You Tomorrow Elina

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →