Wolf films screened at several film festivals

The SKANDULV project at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has summarised findings from many years of wolf research in five animated short films. Together, the series tells a story of extinction, return and fascinating ecology.

The films have been, or will be, screened at the Nordic Pedagogical Film Festival, Chaniartoon and Fredrikstad Animation Festival. In Fredrikstad, one of the films is competing in the commissioned film category.

– Taking part in film festivals is important because it allows us to reach audiences that we probably would not reach through other channels, says Roberto Lo Monaco, who made the films together with researchers at SLU.

Focus on scientific content

The films present research from 25 years of studies into how wolves live. Throughout the production process, there was a strong focus on ensuring that the scientific content was accurate.

– I’m definitely very happy that the film series has been selected and that we have the opportunity to take part in these festivals. Recognition from the festival world shows that the films also have artistic value in addition to their scientific foundation, says Roberto Lo Monaco.

At film festivals, the films are shown in a completely different context, alongside productions with very different styles and approaches.

– I think the variety is one of the most interesting aspects of the festivals. There are films with widely differing approaches to animation, storytelling and choice of subject – ranging from more experimental and artistic works to films aimed specifically at children and young people. I’m looking forward to seeing how the other filmmakers approach their subjects and to discovering different visual styles and storytelling techniques.

The film festivals

• At Fredrikstad Animation Festival, the film is competing in the commissioned film category alongside 11 other films. The festival takes place in Fredrikstad, Norway, from 21 to 24 October. You can see all the selected films here

• Chaniartoon International Comic & Animation Festival in Crete is an international festival for comics and animation, featuring film screenings, exhibitions and competitions. The festival takes place in Chania from 18 September to 4 October.

• Nordic Pedagogical Film Festival focuses on educational films and was held on 25–26 September.

Watch all the films in the Wolves in Scandinavia series:
Animated films summarise wolf research

The scripts were written by Camilla Wikenros, Håkan Sand and Mikael Åkesson. Roberto Lo Monaco was responsible for directing, graphics and editing. The illustrations were created by artist Giovanna Della Torre.