Name: Borealis
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2009-02-20
Duration: 1 h 3 min
Rating: 9.2
Cast: Taku Hokoyama, Frank Wolf

Frank Wolf And The Issues Facing The Boreal Forest Today

This remarkable film is a must for the avid backwoods/deep woods adventurist and environmentalist. Frank wolf (film maker and adventurist) with his friend and co-worker Taku Hokoyama embark on a 3000km 80 day canoe trip from downtown Winnipeg Manitoba to his cottage near Parry Sound Ontario. Instead of reading an article in any geographic magazine about the issues affecting the Boreal Forest. Frank takes us along and gives us a first hand look at the state of the Boreal Forest as well as well as the issues of the Boreal Forest that are affecting the communities and aboriginal communities that live within it. Frank tackles all the issues such as global warming, logging, damming rivers for hydro electric power, mining, corperate polluting of rivers and how each one specifically endangers the Boreal Forest and wildlife living within it. Frank interviews individuals in the communities along the way to get a strong opinion with the issues facing the Boreal Forest from the people living within it. Frank and Taku give us a real sense of adventure. The beauty, the physical demands, the equipment malfunctions, how the Boreal Forest regenerates itself after a forest fire and even describes how the air and water is so much different. Frank and Taku maintain a hilarious sense of humour as well as showing the viewer how they enjoy and benefit from what the Boreal Forest has to offer as well as it's importance globally.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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From Portage and Main in downtown Winnipeg to the family cottage near Parry Sound in Ontario, filmmaker Frank Wolf and his inexperienced friend Taku Hokoyama tackle raging rapids and grueling portages on a 3,100 km canoe trip through Canada's Boreal forest in an effort to shed light on the issues now facing the wilderness area. The Boreal Wilderness is a massive swath of forest that lies just north of the Canada-US border. It contains 25 % of the world's remaining ancient forest and is globally significant in its ability to filter water, keep carbon levels in check, and operate as a species habitat. Manitoba and Ontario are home to the largest intact forest area. The remote location has kept it safe for many years, but current interest from the forestry, hydro, and mining industries now threatens the sanctity of the forest. Deeply committed to their mission and message but never didactic, Frank and Taku, with their offbeat sense of humor, provide an intimate look into the current environmental and social issues facing the region. This is not a typical nature documentary, however. Our amiable guides cope with bears, black flies and flat tires in order to educate and entertain us over the course of their 75-day adventure.

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Borealis

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