Nuisance Bear
Documentary Short | English | Canada | Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden
Churchill, Manitoba, is famous as an international destination for photographing polar bears. We’ve seen the majestic images and classic wildlife series captured here – but what do these bears see of us? Through a shift in perspective, Nuisance Bear reveals an obstacle course of tourist paparazzi and wildlife officers whom bears must navigate during their annual migration.
About the Filmmaker
Jack is an award-winning director, cinematographer, and producer whose work has been featured at major film festivals such as TIFF, Sundance, SXSW, IDFA, True/False, and Hot Docs. He is a co-founder of the US-Canadian production company Documist and served as an Executive Producer for "The Territory," which won the Audience Award and Special Jury Award at Sundance 2022. Jack holds a BFA in Film Production from York University (2015) and is dedicated to inclusive storytelling that connects with the natural world. "Nuisance Bear," his directorial debut, was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the Canadian Screen Awards in 2022 and received an Honorable Mention for Best Canadian Short Film at TIFF 2021.
About the Filmmaker
Gabriela is an award-winning Venezuelan Canadian cinematographer based in Toronto. She brings a background in painting and dance to her images which have premiered at major festivals including TIFF, Camerimage. SXSW, IDFA. and True/False. Her thesis film Rambler was awarded an internship with Phedon Papamichael ASC GSC who she shadowed on Alexander Payne’s Downsizing. Gabriela has a BFA in Film Production from York University. The short documentary Nuisance Bear (Canadian Screen Awards Nominee for Best Short Documentary 2022, Honorable Mention: Best Canadian Short Film, TIFF 2021) is her directorial debut.