Lucy Tulugarjuk is a multifaceted Canadian Inuk individual, excelling in various artistic and professional capacities. Born in Churchill, Manitoba, but hailing from Igloolik, Nunavut, she has made a significant impact in showcasing Inuit culture and stories to a broader audience.
Tulugarjuk initially gained international recognition for her starring role in Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, a groundbreaking Inuit-language film that won numerous prestigious awards, including the Camera D'Or at Cannes and the Genie Award for Best Picture. Her outstanding performance earned her the Best Actress Award at the American Indian Film Festival in 2001.
Throughout her career spanning over two decades, Tulugarjuk has demonstrated her versatility by contributing in various capacities, including acting, writing, directing, costume design, and translation of Inuktitut dialogue. Her directorial debut, Tia and Piujuq, a feature film exploring the friendship between a Syrian refugee girl and an Inuit girl, premiered at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in 2017.
In 2023, Tulugarjuk co-directed, co-wrote, and co-starred in Tautuktavuk (What We See),which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Amplify Voices Award for Best First Film.
Beyond her film work, Tulugarjuk is a celebrated throat singer and cultural advocate. She has utilized her platform to support Inuit traditions and language revitalization, notably managing Uvagut TV, a 24/7 online channel dedicated to Inuktitut programming. Her activism extends to public stands on environmental issues affecting Inuit communities.
As a creative force and cultural ambassador, Lucy Tulugarjuk continues to influence Indigenous representation in media and preserve Inuit heritage through storytelling, leaving a lasting impact on the cultural landscape.
