IWFF Shorts Block
Shorts Block 5: Living with Wildlife
Sponsored by:
Farmers Insurance, Downtown Missoula Partnership, Leaf + Quiet, Farmers State Bank!
Farmers Insurance, Downtown Missoula Partnership, Leaf + Quiet, Farmers State Bank!
IWFF Shorts Block 5: Living with Wildlife
In India, a country in the throes of human-wildlife conflict, a unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region, where people live in harmony with India’s largest freshwater predator (“Even So”). In the northern reaches of Manitoba sits the small town of Churchill, unique in that the human residents are outnumbered by polar bears (“Polar Bear Country”). In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behavior (“The Bird in My Backyard”). Living with wildlife can be enriching, thrilling, and dangerous. The “Living with Wildlife” shorts block collects just a few stories of human-wildlife relationships from around the world.
Even So
Director: Meghna Nandy
Producer: Meghna Nandy
A unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region of Gujarat, India. Here people live in harmony with the subcontinent's largest freshwater predator: marsh crocodiles, or muggers. Charotar has had fewer than 10 attacks in the last 10 years, but the issue is still deeply complex. Even So follows the crocodile-friendly people of Charotar, exploring what makes their coexistence with their reptilian neighbors possible and what threats it faces. This is a story of how the power of community and the unrelenting work of grassroots conservation organizations can make a big difference to our shared future with animals.
Life (Cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt
Director and Producer: Hon Shing Fung
A Hong Kong newt resides in a narrow irrigation channel, believing it would be confined there forever. However, an unexpected flood sweeps it away, carrying it through a dark passage until it arrives in a serene, azure pond. The newt finds companionship among its kind and thrived in the aquatic haven. But as it ventures back onto land after the breeding season, it encounters unforeseen threats.
Roar of the Tiger
Director and Producer: Tushar Bhojwani
Tigers in India have become a conservation triumph, their numbers rising from the brink of extinction. But as tiger and human populations grow, the boundaries between wilderness and human settlements blur, leading to frequent and often tragic encounters. Villages face threats to their lives and livelihoods, while tigers risk retaliation. This intricate dynamic underscores the fragile balance between conserving an iconic species and ensuring the safety and well-being of those living at the edge of tiger habitats. The story of India’s tigers is not just one of survival but of coexistence, demanding innovative solutions that acknowledge the needs of wildlife and people.
Polar Bear Country
Director: Andrew Ackerman
Producer: Andrew Ackerman, Worth Baker
Home to fewer than 1000 year-round residents, Churchill, Manitoba is unique: human residents are outnumbered by polar bears. Polar Bear Country explores this interaction, learning how Churchillians have learned to co-exist with, protect, and share their love of these apex predators.
The Bird in My Backyard
Director and Producer: Ryan Wilkes
In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behavior. The Bird in My Backyard follows citizen scientist Eric Pittman as he documents the journeys of two female Anna’s hummingbirds as they attempt to raise their young in his urban garden. It’s a story about the childlike curiosity in all of us, the wonders it can reveal and the doors it can open if we just lean in a bit closer.
In India, a country in the throes of human-wildlife conflict, a unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region, where people live in harmony with India’s largest freshwater predator (“Even So”). In the northern reaches of Manitoba sits the small town of Churchill, unique in that the human residents are outnumbered by polar bears (“Polar Bear Country”). In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behavior (“The Bird in My Backyard”). Living with wildlife can be enriching, thrilling, and dangerous. The “Living with Wildlife” shorts block collects just a few stories of human-wildlife relationships from around the world.
Even So
Director: Meghna Nandy
Producer: Meghna Nandy
A unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region of Gujarat, India. Here people live in harmony with the subcontinent's largest freshwater predator: marsh crocodiles, or muggers. Charotar has had fewer than 10 attacks in the last 10 years, but the issue is still deeply complex. Even So follows the crocodile-friendly people of Charotar, exploring what makes their coexistence with their reptilian neighbors possible and what threats it faces. This is a story of how the power of community and the unrelenting work of grassroots conservation organizations can make a big difference to our shared future with animals.
Life (Cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt
Director and Producer: Hon Shing Fung
A Hong Kong newt resides in a narrow irrigation channel, believing it would be confined there forever. However, an unexpected flood sweeps it away, carrying it through a dark passage until it arrives in a serene, azure pond. The newt finds companionship among its kind and thrived in the aquatic haven. But as it ventures back onto land after the breeding season, it encounters unforeseen threats.
Roar of the Tiger
Director and Producer: Tushar Bhojwani
Tigers in India have become a conservation triumph, their numbers rising from the brink of extinction. But as tiger and human populations grow, the boundaries between wilderness and human settlements blur, leading to frequent and often tragic encounters. Villages face threats to their lives and livelihoods, while tigers risk retaliation. This intricate dynamic underscores the fragile balance between conserving an iconic species and ensuring the safety and well-being of those living at the edge of tiger habitats. The story of India’s tigers is not just one of survival but of coexistence, demanding innovative solutions that acknowledge the needs of wildlife and people.
Polar Bear Country
Director: Andrew Ackerman
Producer: Andrew Ackerman, Worth Baker
Home to fewer than 1000 year-round residents, Churchill, Manitoba is unique: human residents are outnumbered by polar bears. Polar Bear Country explores this interaction, learning how Churchillians have learned to co-exist with, protect, and share their love of these apex predators.
The Bird in My Backyard
Director and Producer: Ryan Wilkes
In an urban backyard on Canada’s West Coast, a window salesman has created a living laboratory for investigating hummingbird behavior. The Bird in My Backyard follows citizen scientist Eric Pittman as he documents the journeys of two female Anna’s hummingbirds as they attempt to raise their young in his urban garden. It’s a story about the childlike curiosity in all of us, the wonders it can reveal and the doors it can open if we just lean in a bit closer.
Duration: 120 min