Some fine acting, excellent photography and politically correct views on colonialism, racism, mass destruction in war linked to Canada's history with indigenous peoples and exploitation of their lands. Leaves gaps that are covered by over-stretched symbolism and unclear passages from prior scenes that are explained by some of the omitted scenes. The central character of a beautiful and mysterious half-breed woman who seeks to escape into "white" society doesn't work in the transition from childhood to adulthood, unlike the other central character of the Inuit boy who becomes an acculturated man who later survives World War II's Dresden bombing raid when his plane is shot down. His mysterious survival when all other crew members are killed as the plane explodes and among the firestorm of Dresden's somehow transforms him into reverting back to Inuit life, avoiding his childhood love, and becoming a somewhat drunken stock "native" figure in a land being devastated by oil exploration who avoids the daughter who comes seeking her father.