Stewards of the North

When polar bears dictate your day, it is a humbling, yet exhilarating experience. It also reinforces the lesson that within the context of climate change, we are the polar bear and the polar bear is us.

That’s the sentiment behind “Stewards of the North,” a new documentary short film profiling how and why Canada’s Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is a uniquely special operation world-wide.

“Stewards of the North” was produced and directed by Canadian filmmaker, Diego Rojas Garcia, with co-producer, Celeste Courtemanche, original score composed by Graham Pierce, and sound mixing by Adam Ive.

The Documentary Film

Shot over two days in the early winter of 2026, this seven-minute film is a topic piece focusing on relationships between the bear keepers and the bears in their care, as well as the polar bears themselves.

This topic captured the imaginations of Rojas Garcia and Courtemanche, both of whom are passionate about wildlife and preservation of the natural world. Proof of these traits is imminently apparent throughout the film and the story it tells.

Film Festival Screenings

In Canada, “Stewards of the North” was awarded Best Short Documentary after screening at the Toronto Independent Film Festival on September 17, 2026, and Audience Choice Runner Up for Best Short Film after screening at Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival on September 23, 2026.

The Toronto Independent Film Festival celebrates independent features, documentaries, and shorts from Toronto and around the world, while Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival promotes acclaimed Canadian and international films, and encourages film culture, education, and production in Northern Ontario.

Stateside, “Stewards of the North” earned First Place – Experimental Award on October 12 at The Los Angeles Reel Film Festival. This festival is held October 17-18, 2026, at The Hudson Theatre in Hollywood, California.

The Los Angeles Reel Film Festival is an international event designed to celebrate and award independent filmmakers and screenwriters without commercial or political bias.

“Stewards of the North” has been selected by the Montreal Independent Film Festival as a nominee for Best Short Documentary and will screen during the festival’s seasonal competition on October 31, 2026. Should this film become a finalist, it will have another theatrical screening March 15, 2027, at Cinema Du Parc in Montreal.

The Montreal Independent Film Festival celebrates cinema by supporting and showcasing Canadian and international films.

“Stewards of the North” will also screen at the British Columbia Environmental Film Festival on November 22, 2026.

The British Columbia Environmental Film Festival bridges science and cinema by promoting educational environmental films and documentaries that raise global awareness about the environment and promote a healthy future.

The film’s trailer provides a sense of what to expect and demonstrates why it “Stewards of the North” is proving so popular with audiences across North America. The trailer features Henry as does the promo poster below.

Passion for Polar Bears

If you have followed me for any length of time, you will know that, professionally, I work with law firms while, personally, my passion is the well-being of polar bears.

This is why I provide pro bono markets advice to the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat, and am proud to support and celebrate it along with Diego Rojas Garcia’s 2026 documentary film, “Stewards of the North.”