A Bear Named Wojtek’ Director Iain Gardner [Video]

Cartoon Brew is putting the spotlight on animated short films that have qualified for the 2025 Oscars.

In this installment, we’re looking at A Bear Named Wojtek from Scottish filmmaker Iain Gardner. The short earned its Oscars qualification through theatrical exhibition.

In his heartfelt and wonderfully animated half-hour film, Iain Gardner tells the tale of Edinburgh Zoo’s famous bear, Wojtek. A Bear Named Wojtek takes the viewer on the fantastic journey of this orphaned brown bear brought to Edinburgh, having been previously adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II and who may have played a key role in the Italian campaign at the Battle of Monte Cassino. The film is a British-Polish co-production by Illuminated Film Company, Studio Miniatur Filmowych, Wojtek Animation, Animation Garden, and Running Rabbit Films.

Cartoon Brew: How much has history itself inspired you in your storytelling, and what were the challenges in weaving this tale of a bear soldier between fact and fiction?

Iain Gardner:…