Set high in the majestic French Pyrenees, The Shepherd and The Bear explores a conflict provoked by the reintroduction of brown bears in the midst of a traditional shepherding community. The film follows an ageing shepherd who struggles to find a successor as bears prey on his flock, and a teenage boy who becomes obsessed with tracking the bears. Through its breathtaking cinematography and immersive storytelling, The Shepherd and The Bear is a modern folktale about tradition, community and humanity’s relationship with a vanishing natural world. This documentary was written, directed, and produced by Max Keegan, a British-Irish filmmaker from West-Sussex. 

The Shepherd and the Bear film screening is hosted by Dr. Helina Jolly's lab. The film brings forward urgent questions about how humans and wildlife learn to share a world, what it means to live alongside a wild predator, and how the people closest to nature navigate that relationship day to day.

This event is free and open to UVM students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Registration strongly encouraged to reserve a seat. Light refreshments will be provided.

Watch the trailer on YouTube.