Finding Gulo
2021 · 27m · USA
Directed by Colin Arisman, Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
Genres: adventure, documentary
Tones: contemplative, humorous, tender, whimsical
Backcountry ski guide Stephanie Williams and wildlife photographer David Moskowitz set out to document an elusive recovering population of wolverines in Washington State's North Cascades, asking whether citizen science can protect endangered wildlife when government action falls short.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
Ski-film-turned-wolverine-conservation-doc with editing Short of the Week wants you to study — fine, I respect a Patagonia-backed doc that admits it started as gear-porn. Watchable.
A ski film that became a citizen-science conservation documentary about wolverines in the Cascades — Short of the Week's note about editing rhythm worthy of study is more interesting than the premise. The form, not the subject, earns attention.
Twenty-seven minutes of editing that Short of the Week called 'worthy of study by documentary filmmakers outside the nature genre' — that's the specific craft praise I look for. Originally conceived as a ski film and evolved into wolverine conservation doc is exactly the kind of organic shape change that produces unusually entertaining rhythm.
Reviews
Something of a marvel, a piece worthy of study by documentary filmmakers outside the nature genre. Hard for me to think how you could improve this film.
The construction of the film across 27 minutes is simply impeccable — perfectly modulated at about every point.
Festivals
- Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2022
- Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival 2022
- International Wildlife Film Festival 2022
- Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2022
- Environmental Film Festival at the National Geographic Society 2022