Nelvana of the Northern Lights (film)

Nelvana of the Northern Lights is a 2000 made-for-television animated superhero film adapted from the classic comic book character of the same name, and animated by the animation studio Nelvana - which is named after the character. Set in contemporary Toronto, Ontario, the action-drama centers on Alana North (Elizabeth Saunders), a brooding and willful secret agent who is the reluctant inheritor of superhuman powers given to her by her Inuit heritage and becomes a superhero known as Nelvana to protect her city from a group of neo-Nazis.

Nelvana of the Northern Lights was directed by Michael Hirsch and Clive A. Smith, and written by Joss Whedon for Nelvana in celebration of the studio's 30th anniversary. The film made its debut August 27, 2000 on Cartoon Network's Toonami. The strong ratings performance of the two-hour action-thriller led to the television series of the same name, which also aired on Toonami from 2001 to 2002.

Plot
When one of her best friends is murdered, Toronto-based secret agent Alana North (Elizabeth Saunders) is bitter at being unable to bring her killer to justice. Alana is certain the killer is One-Ear Brunner (Bruce Dinsmore), a legendary neo-Nazi hit man who seems untouchable.

After one of Brunner's henchmen assaults her partner, Johnny Wong (Will Yun Lee), Alana pursues him into a museum where Inuit artifacts are among those displayed. While searching for Brunner's man, Alana is momentarily transfixed by a metal gauntlet in a display case – and is startled by a mysterious figure (Richard Newman) who vanishes as quickly as he appears. During a savage gunfight in the museum, the display case is shattered and the gauntlet sends Alana to the throne of Koliak the Mighty, King of the Northern Lights, who turns out to be the mysterious man she saw at the museum earlier before the gunfight. She also teams up with her brother and newfound friend Tanero to try and send Brunner to jail; and becomes the superhero known as Nelvana.

To understand her powers and why she was blessed or cursed by them, Alana embarks on a difficult search for self-discovery and justice.

Cast

 * Elizabeth Saunders as Nelvana/Alana North, secret agent and reluctant superhero