Insomnia

Before it gets too far out from Halloween, here is a pic of a couple of the other first year teachers all hippied out! I feel blessed that I came to Bethel as a new teacher in the same year as the other four did. Together, there are five of us new teachers here in Bethel that have become good friends...and thank goodness. I think I might have gone nuts a couple times if it hadn't been for them. Thanks girls!

Ever seen the movie Insomnia? Its on right now and I'm watching it. I've seen it before and knew it was supposedly set in Alaska. Being here is like watching it from a different perspective, although the plot is the same either way. It stars Al Pacino and Robin Williams. It is set in Nightmute, Alaska. Nightmute is part of LKSD and is about 100 miles from Bethel. It is on an island in the Bering Sea. Now, I don't know for sure, but I dont think it is REALLY set in the town of Nightmute. There are so many things about the movie that make it obvious that it can't actually be filmed in Nightmute. Such as...
The movie shows paved roads, drinking, mountains, no natives, corporate businesses, and modern buildings. The movie takes place in the summer when the sun does not go down at all(this is why it is called Insomnia...because the main character cant sleep because of the midnight sun), but school in session in the movie which would mean that school would be in session during the middle of the summer. Not to mention, the sun does go down for at least awhile during summer in this region because we are not far enough north, not above the arctic circle.

Nightmute demographics...208 people, 38 families, 91% native

Here's what I found on Wikipedia...
Nightmute is featured in the 2002 film Insomnia, which misrepresents it as being above the Arctic Circle. The town in the movie shares little in common with the real Nightmute - the film was shot in British Columbia. If the town shown in the movie was in Alaska it would have to be in Southcentral Alaska (given the forests and fishing industry and the fact that the fictitious town is on the road system). Nightmute residents live a subsistence lifestyle, which include in their diet a variety of fish, seals, and birds.