Unconventional 'Nuisance Bear' Documentary Wins Big at Sundance

First-time feature directors Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden take an artistic, nuanced approach to exploring the tensions between polar bears and humans in northern Canada.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Canadian filmmakers Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden's feature documentary "Nuisance Bear" won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. documentary at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film, which is still seeking U.S. distribution, follows the growing tensions that arise as polar bears are increasingly driven from their natural habitats in northern Canada, particularly in the communities of Churchill and Arviat. Unlike traditional nature documentaries, "Nuisance Bear" takes an artistic, nuanced approach that explores the complex relationship between the bears and the humans who live alongside them.

Why it matters

"Nuisance Bear" challenges the conventional nature documentary format by examining the human impact on polar bears and their habitats from multiple perspectives, including the Indigenous communities that coexist with the bears. The film's unconventional approach and its Sundance win highlight the growing demand for more thoughtful, balanced portrayals of environmental issues that go beyond simplistic narratives.

The details

Filmed over several years in Churchill, Manitoba (the "polar bear capital of the world") and the Arctic hamlet of Arviat, "Nuisance Bear" follows the annual polar bear migration and the tensions that arise as the bears are increasingly drawn into populated areas. The filmmakers used specialized camera equipment to capture intimate footage of the bears while minimizing their own impact on the environment. The film's title refers to the Inuit word "avinnaarjuk," which describes the bears that have become habituated to human presence and make mischief in local communities.

  • The short film "Nuisance Bear" was premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
  • The feature-length "Nuisance Bear" documentary won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. documentary at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
  • The film is having its international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, which runs from March 5-15, 2026.

The players

Jack Weisman

Co-director of "Nuisance Bear" and first-time feature filmmaker.

Gabriela Osio Vanden

Co-director of "Nuisance Bear" and first-time feature filmmaker.

Michael Code

Indigenous producer on "Nuisance Bear" and experienced documentary filmmaker.

Mike Tunalaaq Gibbons

A venerated elder in the Inuit community of Arviat who provided narration for "Nuisance Bear" before his passing.

A24

The production company that backed the "Nuisance Bear" documentary through its now-shuttered documentary division.

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What they’re saying

“It's been like an open-eyed dream the whole time. I can't believe it's all happened.”

— Jack Weisman, Co-director (Variety)

“One of the themes in the film is about respect, and so for us, it was really important to minimize our impact on the environment and on the bears, especially.”

— Jack Weisman, Co-director (Variety)

“A lot of these filmmakers, when they go out into the 'wild,' they're being led by people indigenous to those areas to find those animals. This whole concept of nature untouched by human beings is a colonial construct.”

— Gabriela Osio Vanden, Co-director (Variety)

What’s next

The film is still seeking U.S. distribution after its Sundance win, and the directors are looking forward to its international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in March 2026.

The takeaway

"Nuisance Bear" represents a fresh, artistic approach to the nature documentary genre, challenging traditional notions of "untouched" wilderness and centering the perspectives of the Indigenous communities who coexist with the polar bears. Its Sundance success signals a growing demand for more nuanced, thoughtful portrayals of environmental issues.