Film News!
Our film project “Stories of Wolves: The Lobo Returns” is an examination of the Mexican Gray Wolf recovery program in New Mexico.
It's a story with many sub-plots because of the dynamic relationship of the wolf to the various communitites who now share its habitat: the ranchers, the conversationists, the Native American cultures, and the other animals who depend upon its presence to maintain a healthy ecological system. Just as much as it's a film about wolves, it's also about the people of New Mexico and their stand in making this program a success or a failure. And ultimately it is about the vanishing wildness inside and outside of us.
The film contains
- Interviews with Ranchers, Conservationists, and Native Americans
- Film footage from the Lobo's habitat
- A brief examination of wolf lore and literature
- An examination of various solutions for a successful reintroduction of the wolf to its habitat.
- A narrative which maintains continuity and balance in its presentation to the viewing public.
The Film Team
Elke Duerr, Executive Producer and Director
Founder of Wild Wolf Film, Elke Duerr, M.A., is a bi-national story teller, poet, author, film maker and teacher and has been trained in ancient and modern healing arts.
She has conceived of “Stories of Wolves” and is responsible for the script of the film and directing the documentary. Elke has gathered experience as a filmmaker by co-producing image films, high interest and news pieces for AP, and content for DVD. Her extensive travels have inspired her to collect stories all over the world and ultimately led her to be the keeper of the stories and old ways.
She is available to give “Wolf Talks” on the Mexican Gray Wolf and other wild creatures and tell wolf stories. For more information on having Elke visit your school or organization click here.
Her work has been published in “Journeys- a book of worlds”, “The Cradle Project, “Journal fuer internationale Germanistik” and various online and travel magazines. This is her first documentary.
Ms. Duerr has received a contract from the New Mexico Film Office and an equipment grant from Panavision to aid in the production of this film. To view Ms. Duerr's artist statement, click here.
Lisa Anderson, Editor
Now living in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Lisa is a confirmed lover of the wolves. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Long Beach, in Radio, TV, Film with an emphasis on TV/Editing. She has recently completed the Certificate for Digital Photography and and Digital Film Making levels 1 and 2 concentrating on Videography (Editing) and Motion Graphics.
Alec Richards, Visual Journalist
Has over sixteen years of experience as a visual journalist, working in still photography and videography. A native of Albuquerque, Alec spent much of his career in newspaper, working as an award-winning photojournalist in Oklahoma and Texas before returning to New Mexico two years ago. His photographs have appeared in publications world-wide. He's now pursuing a longtime interest in documentary film-making towards his certification in the digital-arts program at the University of New Mexico.
S. Rose Carp, Videographer
Rose has 8 years of experience working on documentaries. She holds a BAFA from the University of New Mexico, with an emphasis in photography. Rose has chosen to focus her camerawork on documentaries concerning the underdogs of society. Born and raised in Northern New Mexico, Rose has a special appreciation for the wilderness that we have the privilege of stewarding.
Sean Cridland, Webmaster
Sean has been building websites since 1999 and is also involved in photography, videography, and writing. With a long background in ski racing, event promotion, and adventure travel in Nepal, Tibet, India, South America and Europe, he holds a Ph.D. in East-West comparative philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Sean brings a varied perspective to the Wild Wolf Films project. His company visionsofpower.com enthusiastically supports the Wild Wolf Film project.
Documentary Advisory Board
Michael Robinson, is a conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, a national non-profit conservation organization based in Tucson , Arizona . Michael's work includes advocacy for recovery of Mexican gray wolvest.
Michael holds an M.A. in literature from the Univ. of Colorado at Boulder and a B.A. in philosophy and literature from the Univ. of Texas at Austin . He has authored dozens of articles and opinion pieces on conservation issues that have appeared in publications ranging from High Country News to the New York Times.
He is author of Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West (University Press of Colorado, 2005), praised by reviewers as “path-breaking,” "definitive,” “bringing “history to life,” “a work of tremendous scholarship,” and “a beautifully written book that captures the feel of western landscapes and the ethos of early 20th-century America with an eloquence unusual for a weighty, scholarly book.” Michael lives and works at the edge of the Gila National Forest , which is part of the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area.
Sam Anderson, Intercultural Spiritual Advisor is a Navajo spritual teacher who works with families and school-age children. He teaches his Native ways about taking care of oneself and the earth and all its creations. Sam believes that we all have a place in this world, humans and animals alike, and what happens to one part of creation happens to all of us.
Jean Ossorio, wolf advocate is a retired public school teacher who has long been an advocate for Mexican Gray Wolf recovery. She often camps and hikes in lobo home ranges and has seen 36 of the animals in the wild.
Gene Simon, rancher conservationist in his 90s who is interested in successful coexistence of live-stock and predators. He has studied working models of this system in Alberta, Canada and is looking forward to seeing his first wolf in the wild in the near future.
Stephanie Kaylan , wolf and wildlife advocate is the founder and president of the Wanagi Wolf Fund and has been involved in Wolf & Wolf Dog rescue since 1994 and has been nominated for the New Mexico Milagro Award (for Animal Protection) for the past 3 years. Stephanie is active in stopping the illegal breeding of wolves and wolf-dogs as pets. She also advocates that, as a populace, we all need to wake up and become active!
Katharina Weinberg (not pictured), German wolf advocate has a background in German law and has recently been to the Baltic area to visit endangered wolves in Eastern Europe and is an active wolf advocate in Germany.