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