Children of the Wolves
A film directed by Barb Kuensting
Idaho has announced open season on its gray wolves, and local youths are speaking out. What will be the wolves’ fate, and what does that mean for our futures?
The film’s premise
CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES is an observational and expository documentary about the complicated past of wolves in Idaho, shown through the lens of young people fighting to keep them around. The film will follow key players in Teens Restoring Earth’s Environment, a local high school club, and their efforts to raise awareness about Idaho’s methods of controlling the wolf population– which the state announced in early 2023 will be culled by 60%.
In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to Idaho by the federal government, and a few years later, Timberline High School in Boise adopted a local wolf pack. In 2021, the Timberline Pack was slaughtered by federal agents.
Since then, Ella has been busy giving speeches to Idaho Fish & Game while studying for AP statistics. Sasha has been writing to congressmen in the same hour she’s getting ready for prom. Amid the chaos of growing up, generations of teenagers have gone to D.C., spoken in front of the state legislature and fought for the welfare of packs that are still alive. The fate of the wolves lies in the hands of teens, and whether their message is heard or not.
This film will use observational moments of kids being kids juxtaposed with them advocating to the masses. We’ll also get a timeline of events from experts in The Nez Perce tribe, wolf biologist Carter Niemeyer, Idaho Fish & Game, as well as environmental groups and local ranchers to provide context and depth to the TREE kids’ message.
Why this film needs to be made
Barb Kuensting, Director of the film and Wild Lens Collective member, said, “I used to be one of these teens: appealing to the public and calling on the state legislature to act on environmental issues. I’m interested in directing a film about conservation through the lens of the community most impacted, yet least heard. I see myself in the TREE kids, and I want to use my voice and platform as a filmmaker to share their message.”
Sasha and Ella are just a few out of millions of youth interested in working with wildlife, and CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES will help us understand what it’s like to be a young person participating in wildlife politics. Do kids deserve a seat at the table? And perhaps more importantly, what are the consequences of not including the next generation in today’s wildlife decision-making?
Barb is currently crowdfunding to help make this film project a reality. Check out her Seed & Spark campaign to learn more about the film, where they’re at in the production process, and contribute. There’s also some pretty incredible incentives up for grabs too! You can also follow Children of the Wolves on Instagram and Facebook.
