A film centered on a polar bear, co-created by Yukon resident Mike Code, has clinched a prestigious award at the Sundance Film Festival. Titled “Nuisance Bear,” the documentary secured the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Documentary competition, as revealed on Friday. Expressing his surprise and delight, Code remarked on the unexpected win, stating, “We had no idea this was going to happen. It was like, ‘What?!’ … We were, like, quite enthralled by the award.”
The film follows the fictionalized journey of a lone polar bear facing challenges in the Arctic, particularly focusing on human-bear interactions, shared Code during an interview on CBC’s Midday Cafe on Jan. 20. It delves into the significance of the bear in two distinct communities: Churchill, Man., and Arviat, Nunavut. Code emphasized that the film does not aim to contrast the communities but rather examines the nuances of how each deals with the common issue of bears encroaching into town.
Having grown up in both Churchill and Arviat, Code shared his personal encounters with polar bears, mentioning his father’s roles as a teacher in Arviat and a wildlife cinematographer and bear guide in Churchill. Code first met the future directors of “Nuisance Bear,” Jack Wiseman and Gabriela Osio Vanden, at the Hot Docs film festival in 2019. Filming for the documentary commenced in Churchill in 2023, utilizing specialized car-mounted cameras with ultra-stabilized lenses, enabling close-up shots of bears while ensuring safety.
The filmmakers realized the uniqueness of their project as they captured unprecedented footage. Post the triumph, Code mentioned the overwhelming response from festival attendees, who were astonished by the visuals and storytelling. Attending Sundance is a significant acknowledgment for filmmakers, reflecting the high caliber of their work. Code highlighted the opportunity Sundance provides to engage with industry peers and showcase their project, emphasizing that winning competitions at such events could lead to prestigious recognitions like Oscar nominations.
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