Arctic Tale - Preview
Preview by Jack Foley
FANS OF March Of The Penguins should flock to Arctic Tale, a similar documentary that follows the lives of a polar bear and her cubs and a walrus and her pup.
Narrated by Queen Latifah and directed by husband-and-wife filmmaking team Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson, Arctic Tale offers viewers some breathtaking cinematography as well as a timely environmental warning. It invites audiences to revel in some truly special images, whilst doing their bit to prevent global warming from depriving these remarkable creatures of their natural environment in years to come.
For the past 15 years, Ravetch and Robertson have worked with the National Geographic Natural History Unit on a thrilling mission to follow the walrus, polar bear and other notoriously hard-to-capture-on-film creatures across the Arctic Circle, onto the ice floes and even deep into the frigid, forbidding oceans.
Over many different trips into the remote Canadian Arctic, they compiled over 800 hours of soul-stirring footage – getting as up-close-and-personal with these animals as humanly possible, and even documenting animal behaviour never before seen on film.
Along the way, moved by the incredible smarts, affection, and noble acts of sacrifice they witnessed among both polar bears and walruses – especially mothers protecting their young at every turn from the hazards of this forbidding and changing landscape – Ravetch and Robertson began compiling their footage and that of other wildlife filmmakers to create Arctic Tale. And the ensuing tale concentrates on a polar bear cub, named Nanu, and a walrus pup, christened Seela, as they tackle the brave new world that confronts them as their ancient ways of survival start to change.
Adam explained: “[During the course of making this film] we began to realize that polar bears and walruses have quite a lot in common because they are both so profoundly dedicated to caring for and teaching their young. We really wanted to share this side of these magnificent animals. We were also drawn to the Arctic Ocean, which so little is known about and is so filled with mysteries.”
Audiences will doubtless agree that the footage is as special as the environmental message is timely. They can see for themselves when Arctic Tale opens in UK cinemas on February 8, 2008.