Arctic Cliffhangers - THE FILM


Arctic Cliffhangers is the story of the cliff-dwelling inhabitants of the North, the prolific seabirds that represent some of Canada’s most spectacular wildlife. Clambering over rugged coastal headlands and dangling into their precipitous and little-known world, an inquisitive biologist encounters an Arctic that is surprisingly colourful and teeming with life. He lives on the land with scientists and Inuit hunters, learning much about the dramatic complexity of the polar marine ecosystem. Through his adventures he discovers how today’s vanishing sea ice is influencing marine life in Arctic waters, altering the way of life of Northern peoples.


Canada’s Arctic seabirds are revealing much about the Earth’s changing oceans and climate. The film spotlights and interprets aspects of the biology and life history of seabirds, providing insights into the impacts of industrial pollution and the role that climate change plays in the transformation of marine ecosystems. In addition to communicating some of the latest scientific findings on polar marine research, Arctic Cliffhangers also documents the age-old hunting traditions carried on by Canada’s aboriginal subsistence hunters.


Release Date: 2010 [multi-language]

Category: Feature Documentary

Runtime: 60 min, 52 min

Digital Master: HDCAM

Director/Producers: Stephen Smith & Julia Szucs

Writer: Julia Szucs

Director of Photography: Stephen Smith

Editor: Julia Szucs

Original Music: Roger Duncan

Original Language: English

Language Versions: French and Inuktitut (dubbed)

Broadcast Ready: cut to 52min in English, French and Inuktitut


Current Broadcast Licences: OASIS HD (Canada), USHUAïA TV (France), RAI 3 (Italy), NATURA (Spain) and VIASAT (Eastern Europe)

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“It’s rare that we find a film that touches

on so many of our themes – science, adventure, coastal culture, environment

– with [such] artistry and attraction...”

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