Jenny's Dog Team Journey

Travels with my camera: inspirational 75 year old Scottish film-maker Jenny Gilbertson travels through Northern Canada by dog sled, accompanied by 4 adults and a 3-month old baby. Journeying by sea ice from Igloolik to Repulse Bay for 300 miles, she slept in igloos every night for two weeks. The baby’s tears had to be dried before they froze, and lumps of snow were packed into the kettle for tea stops every few hours. Jenny remarks: "Changing a nappy in -30° is quite something." An inspiration for the young at heart.

Jenny Gilbertson was born in Glasgow, but relocated to Shetland in 1931 to make a film, 'A Crofter’s Life in Shetland'. After encouragement from the legendary film maker, John Grierson, she bought a professional 35mm camera and made a further five films, which she sold to Grierson. She reluctantly accepted a teaching post in Shetland, putting her film-making on hold. When she retired in 1967, she was able to devote more time to film-making, and in 1972 she travelled to Northern Canada to film 'Jenny’s Arctic Diary'. This was followed by 'Jenny’s Dog Team Journey' in 1975. Her films were so successful because they had a very special quality; she identified with and was clearly accepted by the people being filmed.