Cry of the Wild

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Bill Mason— a lover and defender of wildlife, directed this film by the National Film Board of Canada.

Very few people can honestly say that they have ever heard the howl of the wolf echoing across the Northern Lake.  Fewer still have actually seen a wolf in real life.  The wolf is the perfect symbol of the wilderness and to capture the wolf on camera is to be able to share the gift of freedom for everyone to enjoy.

Bill Mason’s three-year search for the wolf began in the Northwest Territories high in the Canadian Arctic. It’s a land where nothing has changed for thousands of years, and for a while he enjoys being a part of it. When he first embarked on his journey many didn’t understand why he would want to endure such harsh weather conditions just to observe a pack of wolves.  But Bill Mason was doing much more than looking at wolves; he was experiencing one of life’s simplest joys.

Using a radio controlled second camera that can be operated at a distance of several miles, Mason was able to film himself during the part of his stay when he was alone in the wilderness.

As he watched the wolves he realized that it would be a lot easier for them to kill him than a caribou. Still instead of fear, he was filled with awe.

This feature-length documentary portrays Mason’s deep affection for the big Northern timber wolves and the pure-white arctic wolves. The years of keen observation that he spent in the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, the High Arctic and his home near the Gatineau Hills in Quebec, certainly paid off. He was able to capture the life of this majestic beast in all of its natural splendor.

Mason’s main objective for preparing this film was to dispel the myth of a violent, bloodthirsty wolf. He went into the wolf’s natural habitat, and relocated three young wolves to his own property.  Here the wolves became a part of Mason’s own family and in exchange, he was given the rare opportunity of caring for them while at the same time filming their tribal customs, mating rituals, and birth. As a result, this film offers viewers rare access to moments in wildlife never before captured on film. Watch this now.