Celebrating these impressively powerful predators, International Polar Bear Day on 27th February is organized by Polar Bears International to raise awareness of the vulnerable status of polar bears and the impact of climate change on the species. With only around 22,000 remaining (WWF) across the Arctic, parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland and Svalbard, these ‘sea bears’ (from their Latin name) are at significant risk of extinction.
Video Librarian has collected five feature films depicting these creatures, from the brutally realistic to the fantastically out-of-this-world, with the hope to entertain and spark deeper discussions about their cultural significance, their importance in maintaining a balanced ecosystem, and the threats they face at the hands of humanity. Add these titles to your Earth Day library programming or nature film collection today.
Arctic (2018)
This Icelandic survival drama film showcases the true brutality of the arctic environment. Mads Mikkelsen plays Overgård, a man stranded in the harsh landscape, awaiting rescue. Beautifully shot and incredibly raw, Overgård’s fight for survival sees him constantly come up against the overwhelming threat of nature. Snowstorms, sub-zero temperatures, scarce sustenance, mountainous (and cavernous) terrain, and a hyper-carnivorous polar bear puts his reliance to the test.
Read our review of Arctic
Get your copy of the Arctic Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
The Journey Home (2014)
This heartwarming tale sees a young boy embarking on a journey across the icy plains of Northern Canada to reunite a polar bear cub with its mother. However low the stakes of this family adventure film might be, it doesn’t shy away from referencing big picture issues. The rapid melting of the polar ice caps, the encroachment of civilization on the habitat, and the cavalier (and sometimes downright evil) attitudes towards the bears and their environment are frighteningly realistic.
Get your copy of The Journey Home Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
The Golden Compass (2007)
Based on the first instalment of Philip Pullman’s epic His Dark Materials trilogy, this fantasy adventure film takes place in a parallel universe and revolves around young Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) who ventures to the far North to rescue her friends from experimentation at the hands of the ominous Magisterium.
You may be wondering what this had to do with polar bears. Well, the North happens to be the land of the armoured polar bear. Lyra befriends Iorek Byrnison (Ian McKellen), a once fearsome beast, exiled in shame after being manipulated by the townspeople. Human interference caused his downfall, and when he is reinstated to his natural habitat, he flourishes once more. Sound familiar?
Read our review of The Golden Compass
Get your copy of The Golden Compass on DVD by clicking here.
Arctic Tale (2007)
Filmed over a span of 15 years, this National Geographic Society documentary centres on the lifecycle of a walrus and her calf, and a polar bear and her cubs. Presenting a similar style to the hit documentary March of the Penguins (2005), the filmmakers follow Nanu the polar bear and Seela the walrus as they navigate their new world.
The message behind the documentary is abundantly clear: if we continue this rate of destruction soon there will be no animals left to save. As stated at the end, if the current trend continues, there will be no Arctic ice left by the year 2040. A mere 18 years away.
Read our review of Arctic Tale
Get your copy of the Arctic Tale Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
Two Lovers and a Bear (2016)
Directed by Kim Nguyen, this Canadian indie “romance about beautiful, miserable people” (Roger Ebert) follows young lovers Roman (Dane DeHaan) and Lucy (Tatiana Maslany) as they muddle through their difficult small-town life in Apex, Nunavut. Their powerlessness in the face of past trauma is visualized in their vulnerability against the harsh arctic landscape.
With a twist of magical realism, quite inexplicably Roman can communicate with bears (as he reveals so matter-of-factly to Lucy) and does so with the same weighty polar bear numerous times throughout the film. By the end, the polar bear’s role is revealed to be far more philosophical than it first appears. The bear becomes a comforting presence – a slight diversion from the usual cinematic representation.
Get your copy of the Two Lovers and a Bear DVD by clicking here.