Nanook's Great Hunt (French: La Grande Chasse de Nanook) is a 1996 animated series of 26 episodes. It was co-produced by Elma Animation, Medver International Inc.,[1] and TF1, in association with Mediatoon.[2] The series was created and produced by Serge Rosenzweig; the directors were Franck Bourgeron, Marc Perret, and Stéphane Roux; the executive producers were Paul Rozenberg, Dana Hastier, and Lyse Lafontaine; the writers were Françoise Charpiat, Sophie Decroisette and Serge Rosenzweig; music was by Xavier Cobo and Michaël Dune.[3] The series first aired in France on Wednesday September 3, 1997, on TF1's TF! Jeunesse.[4] It also aired in Canada in French on Mondays at 8pm on Télétoon,[5] and in English on Teletoon on Thursdays at 4:55pm.[6] A 70-minute special titled Nanook: le grand combat/Nanook - The Great Combat was produced in 1996 as well. The special was directed by Gérald Fleury.[7]
In February 2000, APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) started airing Nanook on Saturday mornings in Inuktitut. It was the first animated series to be aired in Nunavik dialects.[8]
From Mediatoon's press flyer:"A boy's journey into manhood through his quest to find his missing father... Set in the harsh landscape of the Canadian Arctic, this enchanting tale evolves around Nanook, a twelve-year-old Inuit boy, who embarks upon a journey to find his missing father, undertaking the challenge of hunting down the mythical bear, Suaq Nanok."[9]
A total of 26 episodes of 26 minutes were produced, plus a 70-minute special titled Nanook - The Great Combat.[9] Currently the first two episodes are available for free at eToon on Dailymotion.[10] [11] A list of the French title of the episodes is available at Planète Jeunesse.
Nanook was voiced by in the French version and Evie Mark in the Nunavik version.[8]