This is our story, the story of the last wild bison in the Northern Hemisphere.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Elke Duerr

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! My whole life I have been enthralled with the last vanishing migratory herds of animals on this planet. I felt like I needed to do something to help them thrive. Domesticated animals almost always seem to be favored over wild animals and habitat is vanishing rapidly. Also, I have seen how tied many native peoples are to the bison. When the bison thrive and return to their former habitat, they thrive as well. So I decided to migrate with our last wild bison in the Northern Hemisphere and make a film about them.

See my story here: https://vimeo.com/204191382

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It will touch your core. The bison tell their own story and that is different from most wildlife documentaries. It is not ABOUT the animals, but with and for them. Plus, most people do not know the history of these animals and that alone makes it worthwhile to see the film.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

This film is inclusive, does not identify good or bad guys and leaves out our binary way of being. Cattle and bison are able to coexist and it is not either or. This is how I live, I have developed a care for All Life early on and keep with it to this day. The restoration of our pristine origins of coexistence are dear to my heart in my life and the film explains why that is so important for our human survival and thriving.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Initially, the film dealt with our last wild bison herd in the greater Yellowstone area. I would go there and document their fate. But soon it became very clear to me that there was much more to the bison issue than just that one particular herd of animals. In essence, it is our own story, the human story of preferring fences and "developed area" over wide open spaces and the freedom of movement. What we do to the animals, we do to ourselves. I started migrating with the animals and got to know many of the tribes that still keep bison on their reservations or have always had them there. Plus, I have the added bonus of coming from Europe and there as well have been efforts made to return the European bison to their former habitat where possible. The film just kept growing and I grew with it.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Wonderful feedback! We had almost 400 people at the premiere of the film and they were really touched by its angle. It has received 5 awards so far and is up for 3 more at the moment, including an educational/scientific award, best director and cinematography award. Bison Nation has been an official selection in numerous (environmental) film festivals as far away as Bali, Malaysia, Hungary and now Berlin and Prague.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Given the fact of how touched I am by having had the privilege to spend time with the bison I am not surprised. People are hungry for heart centered media and Bison Nation definitely falls into that category. It is an honor to have the film shown so widely and have it so well received. If anything I am inspired to keep going with my work and produce more pieces that connect humans back to nature and the animals, like the film on wolves that I previously produced.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Sharing their story is a primary reason to be visible on www.wearemovingstories.com, to spread the word about our last wild bison and to keep moving people. Once a human heart opens, it can never go back to its previous state.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

It's my dream to have Bison Nation go out into the world even further and to keep touching people to the point of changing their behavior and preconceived notions about nature and our animals. Hence, producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors and journalists are all welcome to come on board and collaborate.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

As a child, Dr. Jane Goodall has been my heroine and has remained in that position my whole life. I greatly admire her work and she is doing the introduction of the film. Her work has greatly changed how we see chimpanzees and has made tremendous impact on our relationship to these animals. I wish to see the same with our bison and wolves and other wild animals.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

There are wild bison in Europe?

We are still killing our last wild bison in the wild? Why?

Would you like to add anything else?

Bison are amazing animals. They are one of the few species that can successfully deal with climate change and changing conditions on this earth. They have always been here and always will be here. They want to help us navigate the changes that are occurring on this earth right now. They are the ultimate feminine, the ultimate nurturer making the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives, their all so others may live.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I went to Standing Rock in North Dakota last November, where some of our bison live. The ignorance I experienced around our water and the importance of protecting it from contamination surprised me greatly since we are mostly made of water. My next project is about the human animal-animal-water-relationship and has led me to many interesting places so far. Water gives me life is the title.

Interview: October 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Bison Nation-Walking Sacred Sites

This is our story, the story of the last wild bison in the Northern Hemisphere.

Length: 49 minutes

Director: Elke Duerr

Producer: Elke Duerr

Writer: Elke Duerr and bison

About the writer, director and producer:

Elke is a bi-national filmmaker, story teller, public speaker, writer, photographer and naturalist. She travels widely to debunk old myths about wild animal and human relationship.

Key cast: Members of Native American tribes, bison in the US, in Canada, Poland and Germany, biologists, bison advocates.

Looking for: producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists:

Social media handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bisonnationthemovie/

https://www.facebook.com/Elke-Duerr-Filmmaker-Photographer-Author-111223969542567/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elkeinnm?lang=de

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeduerrfilmmaker/

Funders: Crowd funding, donations

Made in association with: The last wild bison

Where can I see it in the next month?

October 4th 2017, Berlin International Filmmaker World Cinema Film Festival, 5pm,

80 Rohrdamm, Berlin

October 7th, 10am Ekotop Film Festival, Prague