Hot Docs 2005 - UPDATE #3

Grizzly Man
Directed by Werner Herzog
USA/CANADA/100 MINUTES

Insightful, often fascinating look at the life of Timothy Treadwell, an animal-rights activist and environmentalist who - along with his girlfriend - was mauled to death by a grizzly bear in 2001. Grizzly Man's been directed by Werner Herzog, and it's clear almost immediately that the filmmaker isn't looking to craft a traditional documentary. Though the film features interviews with Treadwell's family and friends, the bulk of Grizzly Man's screentime is devoted to footage shot by Treadwell himself (he left behind over 100 hours for Herzog to sift through) - resulting in a film that works as both an examination of Treadwell's zealousness and a surprisingly intimate nature documentary.