Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
You’ve probably heard that there are dozens of Inuit names for snow, but what do they each mean, and what purpose do they each serve? In this short documentary, the Inuk filmmaker Rebecca Thomassie from the remote village of Kangirsuk in the far north of Quebec in Canada learns many of these terms from a local elder, Tommy Kudlak, so that she might pass them along to her three-year-old daughter. As Thomassie and Kudlak travel by snowmobile through the pristine white landscape, he teaches teaches her words describing snow that’s ideal for building igloos or shelters, snow that’s good for drinking, and more. Produced by Wapikoni Mobile, a nonprofit organisation that helps Indigenous filmmakers craft films that reflect their cultures, issues and rights, Thomassie’s short makes for a charming and fascinating window into Inuit cultural knowledge.
Director: Rebecca Thomassie
Website: Wapikoni Mobile
video
Chemistry
Why do the building blocks of life possess a mysterious symmetry?
12 minutes
video
Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
video
Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
video
Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
4 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes