In Manitoba, we see the world through the perspective of a polar bear and question who deserves to be in the icy port town—the bears or the tourists? Presented by Consulate General of Canada in Chicago.
Director: Gabriela Osio Vanden & Jack Weisman
Runtime: 90
Fest Year: 2026
Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman (Nuisance Bear, 14 min, T/F 2022) make a bold return to the festival and take us back to Churchill, the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” revealing a dystopian ecosystem that prioritizes tourism. Resourceful, intelligent, and fearless, the polar bear—a sacred predator—has become a spectacle while its habitat deteriorates. Climate collapse has pushed these animals to expand their range in search of food, prompting aggressive monitoring. Guided by the thoughtful, insightful narration of Mike Gibbons, an Inuit elder native to the land, we contemplate the delicate bonds between humans and one of the Arctic’s most vulnerable creatures, and reflect on the consequences of practices rooted in dominion over the natural world and over those who view themselves as part of it. Presented by Consulate General of Canada in Chicago.