# RightsAtlas Research Packet — Nanook of the North (1922)

> ⚠️ **NOT legal advice.** This is a primary-source research packet describing **United States** copyright status only. It is not a clearance certificate and not a DMCA counter-notification. Verify independently before any platform dispute.

**Scope:** Tier A — **film-print layer only**. Music, story, trademark, and restorations are NOT cleared by this packet.
**Packet version:** `2026-09-12-c2bade8`  ·  **Generated:** 2026-10-05  ·  **Country:** US  ·  **Last verified:** 2026-09-12

## ⚠️ Sound recordings (pre-1972)
Sound recordings fixed before **15 Feb 1972** can be protected under state law / the Music Modernization Act until **2067 or later** — the film *print* being public domain does **not** free the music track. Assume the recorded score is a claim risk.

## Film print — Verified public domain
- **term_expiry:** Published in the United States on 11 June 1922 via Pathé Exchange. Under the 1909 Copyright Act the maximum protection was 28 years (initial term) plus a 28-year renewal, totalling 56 years. The renewal window for this 1922 film closed in 1950. Neither producer Revillon Frères nor distributor Pathé Exchange—which underwent bankruptcy and reorganisation by the early 1930s—filed a renewal. The copyright therefore expired and the original print entered the US public domain no later than 1950, decades before any subsequent statutory extension could apply. — [US Copyright Office Circular 15a: Duration of Copyright (authority on pre-1978 term limits)](https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf)

> Published 1922: US copyright term (95 years) has expired for works published through 1930 — the film print is public domain in the US by term expiry, regardless of country of origin.

## Other layers — NOT cleared by this packet

| Layer | Status | Evidence on file |
|---|---|---|
| Music score | Partially protected | 1 item(s) |
| Underlying story / screenplay | Verified public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Character trademarks | Undetermined | 0 item(s) |
| Restorations / re-releases | Not public domain | 1 item(s) |

## What this means
- **Watching:** Watching via the linked archival copies is generally the lowest-risk activity.
- **Reusing / monetizing:** The film print may be free, but at least one layer (music, story, or restoration) is unresolved — expect Content ID claims; keep evidence handy and consider removing or replacing the score.

## Archival copies
- [Nanouk l'Esquimau (Nanook of the North, 1922) — dir. Robert Flaherty — 720p MP4, Internet Archive (identifier verified)](https://archive.org/details/NanookOfTheNorth) · good

---
_Valid as of 2026-10-05. Copyright status can change — check the live dossier before relying on this in a dispute:_ https://bitgitty.github.io/rightsatlas/film/nanook-of-the-north-1922/