Thunder Rises

Thunder Rises is about wolf restoration. Our complicated relationship with nature is displayed through three characters in the film: The Hunter, the Wolf, and its domesticated descendant, the Dog. The film is based on an actual account of a Fish and Wildlife biologist tasked with exterminating a reintroduced wolf for feeding on livestock, as required by his state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. I wanted to explore the conflict between wilderness and civilization, and the expectation that wild creatures would obey human laws. The film takes an empathetic approach towards each character, trying not to condemn or praise one over the other. Filmed on location in Southwest Colorado.