GRIZZLY MAN

"Human ecstasies and darkest inner turmoil": these are the words master filmmaker Werner Herzog uses to describe the story of Timothy Treadwell, whose dedication to documenting and protecting the lives of grizzly bears went beyond obsession. Ultimately, it led to his death and that of his girlfriend, Amie Hugenard.

Herzog has often explored the line between obsession and madness in his more than 50 films (e.g., in FITZCARRALDO and MY BEST FIEND). Treadwell provides a perfect subject for Herzog's ongoing exploration of human nature. In his hands, Treadwell's descent into madness is gripping drama. Herzog constructed GRIZZLY MAN using Treadwell's own footage of his 13 summers spent in Alaska's Katmai National Park, and retraced his life through the words of those who loved him.

For months on end, Treadwell lived in the wilderness, rejecting the strictures of civilization, yet carefully chronicling his life and work as a record for the outside world. He depicted himself alone on his quest, though he was at time accompanied by his girlfriend. Tempting fate, Treadwell began to believe that he could relate to the fierce, wild giants on a human level. In the film, his passion is incandescent. His love for the bears and nature is palpable, yet tragically his love is unrequited.

GRIZZLY MAN is not simply a nature documentary, it is a love story gone spectacularly wrong.

Post-screening discussion with director Werner Herzog and Jewel Palovak (author of Among Grizzlies and former girlfriend of Timothy Treadwell).

Patricia Finneran

Werner Herzog grew up in a remote mountain village in Bavaria and never saw any films, television, or telephones as a child. He made his first phone call at the age of 17. During high school he worked the nightshift as a welder in a steel factory to produce his first films and made his first film in 1961 at the age of 19. Since then he has produced, written, and directed more than fifty films. Herzog also starred in Les Blank's short film WERNER HERZOG EATS HIS SHOE.

Prints Source:
Hank Truxillo, Lions Gate Films
2700 Colorado Blvd. Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Tel: 310.255.4033
Email: htruxillo@lgf.com

Friday 6/17 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday 6/17 at 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $9

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