Slash/Back 2022

Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a remote and picturesque community, this captivating narrative revolves around four teenage girls navigating the monotony of a typical day. Bored and seeking adventure, they boldly decide to embark on a boat trip to forbidden lands long warned to them as areas to avoid without adult supervision. Among them, Maika makes the daring choice to bring along her father’s rifle.

Upon reaching the land, the girls encounter an unusual polar bear. Chaos ensues when Maika’s little sister unexpectedly appears, provoking the bear to attack her. Fortunately, a quick shot from Maika saves the day, prompting the girls to scramble back to their boat and hastily return home.

However, Uki feels compelled to return and investigate further, stumbling upon an alien artifact that draws her curiosity. To her shock, she witnesses the bear alongside an elk pulling a body toward the alien object, which begins to drain its blood—a surreal and terrifying sight. Following the unsettling events, an unfortunate police officer becomes the next target of the polar bear, leading to a fateful encounter with Uki that transforms him into a Skin.

As the girls rally to navigate this unfolding horror, they take refuge in a container ship but know that they cannot hide forever. With their parents occupied at a Social Dance, Uki, Maika, and Jesse decide to take matters into their own hands and confront the two Skins, determined to reclaim their sense of safety. After a harrowing escape from the first Skin, they come up with a risky but strategic plan that involves utilizing Uki as bait to hunt the fisherman Skin.

Just then, Thomassie arrives on his Honda four-wheeler, offering the girls a ray of hope. As the fisherman Skin approaches, Thomassie deftly ensnares the creature and makes a quick getaway. However, the Skin manages to break free and launches an all-out attack on Uki, latching onto her and draining her blood.

Resolute in their mission, Maika and Jesse follow the trail of blood that leads them to Maika’s home, where a shocking confrontation awaits—the Skin engages with Maika’s father. In a moment of desperation and resolve, Maika recalls her father’s teachings about hunting. She regains consciousness, helps free her father, and in a fierce confrontation, slices the Skin’s throat.

In a dramatic turn of events, a brilliant beam of light bursts forth from the alien artifact, shooting skyward, leading to the Skin’s demise. The girls witness the light, and a mysterious spacecraft emerges from it, expressing their victory over this otherworldly threat.

Fast forward a month later, life resumes its normal pace in Pangnirtung, albeit under the watchful eyes of news reporters eager to cover the unusual events. When questioned about the experience, Maika proudly declares she is a hunter while Uki engages with the reporters, leaving the story delicately open-ended as the girls reflect on their adventure.