ALASKALAND tells the story of Chukwuma, an Alaskan-raised Nigerian struggling to balance the expectations of his traditional Nigerian parents and the larger world around him. After a tragic car crash, Chukwuma is separated from his younger sister, Chidinma, who moves to Nigeria with their Uncle until she becomes of legal age.
Two years later the siblings reconnect to find their estrangement has created new personal and cultural frictions in ways that bring them closer to each other and their roots, as well as help them define what it means to be a Nigerian in Alaska.

CHINONYE CHUKWU (Writer/Director/Producer): CHINONYE CHUKWU is a Nigerian-born, Alaskan-raised screenwriter, producer and director. A recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Award, Chinonye’s short, THE DANCE LESSON, premiered at the Ritz Theater of Philadelphia and was later acquired by mindTV for regional network distribution The film was also a Regional Finalist for the 2010 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Student Academy Awards and an Honorary Mention at the Los Angeles International Film Festival. Chinonye’s other work include IGBO KWENU!, a recipient of the PIFVA Subsidy Grant from the independent film community and both the “Best Motion Picture Award” and “Best Screenplay Award” at the 2009 Diamond Screen Festival. She has recently completed her first feature narrative, ALASKALAND, which began its festival run in Fall 2012.

Film UAF‘s own MAYA SALGANEK (Producer): MAYA SALGANEK is an Assistant Professor of Film/Video at  the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, and director of the UAF Film Program. She  as co-producer for the independent feature film, Chronic Town (2008)  released by Grey Jumper Productions – and was featured in 2008′s Sundance Film Festival; Associate Producer for the independent feature film, Dear Lemon Lima (2009) by Sanguine Films, and Director of Photography of The Messenger (2012) by Kade Mendelowitz.