Help me save the last wild bears in Italy
Donation protected
Overview
I'm Mattia Cialoni, and anyone who knows me probably also knows about my passion for the mountain environment and the creatures that live within it.
I’ve spent the last few years trying to figure out how to turn that passion into a career, with the goal of sharing a conservation message with the world through my images.
Last year I was lucky to be accepted onto a Masters in Wildlife Filmmaking course at UWE, and over the last few months, I’ve faced some of the biggest challenges of my life. I worked really hard to refine my skills in story development, camera operator and post production.
Before I can graduate and step into the world of Natural History storytelling through film, I have one final test. This summer I will be producing my first film, a short 12 minutes documentary about one of my most beloved and most endangered mountain creatures in Italy: the Marsican bear.
Without your help I won’t be able to make this film, and I’m asking you to support me. Please share this fundraiser on your social media to spread awareness of the project. If you are able to donate in any way, no matter how small, it would mean a lot to me!
Thank you all for your support and I can’t wait to share with you all my final film!
About
The film will bring to life the recent discover of a Marsican bear with 4 cubs: named Annamaria.
This is a historical event that never happened in 100 years.
I will tell you the story of this bear family and of a woman who observed these rare creatures for the last 15 years and a young man who monitor them out in the wild.
Will Amarena's cubs make it to the winter?
(Amarena and her 4 cubs)
With only 40 to 60 individuals remaining, the Marsican bear is critically endangered and protected by Italian law (listed Criteria D of the IUCN European Mammal Assessment; listed Endangered of European Community and Italian WWF red list).
Their range spans a 5,000 to 8,000 square km area in the Apennine Mountains of Italy.
Habitat loss and fragmentation has historically been their greatest threat. Now a bigger threat comes from the farmers who see the bears as a threat to their safety, their livestock and their livelihoods.
My mission is to show how people have learned how to live with them and the differing opinions of the locals. Working with the community will play a vital role for the safeguard of the bears.
The crew
Mattia Cialoni - Producer
I am an intensive care nurse and wildlife filmmaking student.
I was planning to produce a conservation film about Kentish plovers in April but due to covid-19 pandemic I had to cancel the production and come back on the medical field, working in the hospital. I recently came up with a new idea and I am aiming to bring the most charismatic animal of the country in the big screens.
Paul Collins - Assistant Producer
Paul is a multi-awarded professional photographer and cameraman based in London, UK.
Following an MA in Documentary Production at UWE Bristol (2015), Paul works as a shooting researcher on a broad slate of documentary, adventure/travel and reality content for the BBC, ITV, C4, C5, History Channel and Discovery among other companies.
Luca Verducci - Camera Operator
Luca is a conservation filmmaker with 5 years of experience working on wildlife and environmental subjects. He studied the MA in Documentary Production at UWE in Bristol.
His latest project is a short film about wolves in Abruzzo, filmed for National Geographic Italia.
Previously, he produced The Vanishing Bird for Nat Geo Short Film Showcase.
How Your Donation Will Help
The money raised from this fundraiser will go directly towards the production of this film. The donations will go toward flights and travel, accommodation for 3-4 months and filming equipment. As filming will begin in July 2020, we are seeking donations as soon as possible to make this film a possibility.
Further donations will be used for essential equipment such as a laptop and a software for editing such as Premiere and external hard drives.
Follow the Journey
We’ll be filming for 3-4 months from the beginning of July to the beginning of November in Villalago and surrounding areas, in the region Abruzzo, Italy. I will keep you updated on the ongoing of the shooting through Instagram and Facebook!
Please follow me on social media to be able to follow our journey!
Organizer
Mattia Cialoni
Organizer