Canada’s rich and influential documentary filmmaking history is something to be celebrated, and with Stories We Told, we’re looking to do just that. This Canadian doc rewind series seeks to reunite audiences with some of our country’s most iconic non-fiction titles, providing a rare opportunity for filmmakers to bring their work back to the big screen and to share – in-person whenever possible – their craft and their stories with the Hot Docs Cinema community.

We’re launching this new series with a literal roar! Kicking us off is none other than the iconic Canadian doc from 1996, Project Grizzly, celebrating its 30th anniversary.

An inventor goes face to face with Canada’s most deadly land mammal, the grizzly bear, in this Canadian classic that gained cult status, not to mention praise from director Quentin Tarantino and a loving parody on The Simpsons. After creating what he hopes is a grizzly-proof robo suit, Troy James Hurtubise ventures into Alberta’s Rocky Mountains on a quixotic quest to face a grizzly bear, testing his armour—and courage— along the way.