Bear Nation (Canada, 2010)
Directed by Malcolm Ingram
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Malcolm Ingram, winner of the 2006 MGLFF Juried Award for Best Documentary for his film, small town gay bar returns with an all new film, a touching portrait of community, camaraderie, and brotherhood.
Identifiable by their full figures, natural hairiness, and masculine demeanors the community known as bears can easily be described as double-outsiders. Their attraction to other men sets them apart from mainstream culture while their embracing of added pounds and body hair puts them at odds with the gay community that often idolizes slender, smooth forms. So where do ‘Bears’ fit in? The answer may be everywhere and nowhere, but as Ingram’s delightful film shows- the bears are here to stay!
To learn more about the culture, Ingram engrosses the viewer within. Traveling to the International Bear Convention in Chicago, the headquarters of Bear Magazine in Las Vegas and London’s largest dance club-a bear bar named XXL-all the while talking to average people who are but all too keen on opening up about their attraction to beefy guys…from a Toronto school teacher to a music store clerk. Peppered with a good amount of tongue-in-cheek fun, vintage environmental films makes for a hearty laugh when you equate the message intended for the wild four foot mammals with the two-legged ones.
Rounding out the film are interviews with punk and indie music legend, Bob Mould- one of rocks first gay musician, as well as cult-favorite filmmaker Kevin Smith. Smith, who also executive produced the film, is something of a bear icon and an object of lust for the boys (sorry guys, Kevin’s straight). Smith not only shares his story of how he found out about his popularity amongst bears (which he talked about on Letterman) but also imparts some words of wisdom to the pleasantly plump everywhere.
Whether you’re a bear, a cub, otter, wolf, a goldilocks or even a complete outsider to the bear nation, you will enjoy this heartwarming film that will leave you feeling as warm and fuzzy as the community it portrays.
-Kareem Tabsch
Malcolm Ingram, winner of the 2006 MGLFF Juried Award for Best Documentary for his film, small town gay bar returns with an all new film, a touching portrait of community, camaraderie, and brotherhood.
Identifiable by their full figures, natural hairiness, and masculine demeanors the community known as bears can easily be described as double-outsiders. Their attraction to other men sets them apart from mainstream culture while their embracing of added pounds and body hair puts them at odds with the gay community that often idolizes slender, smooth forms. So where do ‘Bears’ fit in? The answer may be everywhere and nowhere, but as Ingram’s delightful film shows- the bears are here to stay!
To learn more about the culture, Ingram engrosses the viewer within. Traveling to the International Bear Convention in Chicago, the headquarters of Bear Magazine in Las Vegas and London’s largest dance club-a bear bar named XXL-all the while talking to average people who are but all too keen on opening up about their attraction to beefy guys…from a Toronto school teacher to a music store clerk. Peppered with a good amount of tongue-in-cheek fun, vintage environmental films makes for a hearty laugh when you equate the message intended for the wild four foot mammals with the two-legged ones.
Rounding out the film are interviews with punk and indie music legend, Bob Mould- one of rocks first gay musician, as well as cult-favorite filmmaker Kevin Smith. Smith, who also executive produced the film, is something of a bear icon and an object of lust for the boys (sorry guys, Kevin’s straight). Smith not only shares his story of how he found out about his popularity amongst bears (which he talked about on Letterman) but also imparts some words of wisdom to the pleasantly plump everywhere.
Whether you’re a bear, a cub, otter, wolf, a goldilocks or even a complete outsider to the bear nation, you will enjoy this heartwarming film that will leave you feeling as warm and fuzzy as the community it portrays.
-Kareem Tabsch
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