In memorial to Dr. Jane Goodall and Jim Brandenburg, we celebrate Wolf Awareness Week.

October 19-25, 2025, Wolf Awareness Week takes place.

Jane Goodall, born on April 3, 1934, and died on October 1, 2025. Age 91.

“Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, was a remarkable example of courage and conviction, working tirelessly throughout her life to raise awareness about threats to wildlife, promote conservation, and inspire a more harmonious, sustainable relationship between people, animals, and the natural world. She passed away in her sleep.” http://www.janegoodall.org

“Dr. Jane Goodall inspired millions and generations to better understand and coexist with nature. She had the unique gift of empathy and a warrior’s spirit, unafraid to speak up and speak out but always from a position of love. She always understood that we share one planet and it will take all of us to do our part to protect it. Who will fill the void she leaves behind? Undoubtedly, one of the many she inspired.” ~Manish Bhatt, co-producer of the award-winning film, People & Wolves: a story of coexistence,

“Jane has been my hero since I was very young. I wanted to be Jane. She revealed things about animals that I felt in my bones, but didn’t have yet the words. Jane gave me permission to stand for animals, even when it wasn’t as popular as it is today. She was such a pioneer. I got the most beautiful email and endorsement from Jane when MOTW came out. I cried and cried happy tears. Jane always made time in her hectic schedule to watch my films, give me feedback, and her endorsement is something one never forgets. Jane was kind, funny, incredibly intelligent, and a fierce advocate for wolves, all species, and the health of the planet.” ~Julia Huffman, Filmmaker, Medicine of the Wolf.

I first learned of Jane Goodall as a young girl. I read every National Geographic Magazine I could get my hands on about her adventures observing the Chimpanzees of Gombe Reserve. During my college days checked out Jane’s scientific journals and read them. I was inspired by how she gave her subjects names instead of sterile numbers. As I began helping to monitor Wisconsin’s wolves, I took a chance to write to her, and she responded, telling me how glad she was to know about Wisconsin’s wild wolf recovery program. The greatest thing I learned from her was that animals are individuals who have feelings just like us. When I started working on the film, People & Wolves, I sent her an email asking if she would be in the film. I thought it would be a long shot because she is very busy, but to my joy, I received a yes response from her the next day. Learning about her death was heartwrenching. Even now, as I write this, feelings of deep sadness are present along with gratitude for all she gave us. She gave us hope that we can plant the seeds of change, as she always said. ~Rachel Tilseth, Director and producer of the award-winning film, People & Wolves: a story of coexistence.

Jim Brandenburg was born on November 23, 1945, and died on April 24, 2025

“World-renowned Nat Geo photographer and filmmaker Jim Brandenburg changed the way we saw wolves back in the day. His film White Wolf was the first film to show wolves in the Arctic not being afraid of man. They had never been persecuted in the Arctic, so they were naturally themselves- curious, playful at times, and a close and tight-knit family unit.”

“When I heard about Jim and the wolves, I wanted to tell his story. I was also very fortunate to call him a dear friend and mentor. Jim was loving, kind, and extremely intuitive. He helped me to always set the bar high creatively and really stretch my comfort zone. With Jim, I always felt he was in my corner, which helped me grow as an artist. Medicine of the Wolf is a film honoring Jim’s story and the Wolf.” Julia Huffman, director and producer of the award-winning film, Medicine of the Wolf.

Photograph of Jim Brandenburg and Julia Huffman courtesy of Julia Huffman.

“I met Jim through Julia at the Minnesota Premiere of her film Medicine of the Wolf and immediately felt his warm, compassionate spirit. We shared the same feelings of despair for the wolves we had observed, he through photography and mine through monitoring them as a volunteer tracker. The wolf hunts were devastating. It was a common bond that drew us both to advocate for wolves. Jim was always willing to help and donated one of his award-winning photographs for a contest. I enjoyed his daily photography journal posts and the yearly holiday greetings. I was saddened to hear of his death, and knowing him brought much hope that we could save wolves from being persecuted through his ever constant advocacy work for wolves. The world is an empty place without his gentle spirit.” ~Rachel Tilseth, Filmmaker, Fine Artist, and Educator.

In memory of Dr. Jane Goodall and Jim Brandenburg, we celebrate Wolf Awareness Week. Julia and I invite you to watch Medicine of the Wolf and People & Wolves, about one of their favorite and beloved animals, the wolf.

Medicine of the Wolf Official Trailer

In this beautiful and important documentary, filmmaker Julia Huffman travels to Minnesota and into wolf country to pursue the deep intrinsic value of perhaps the most unjustly maligned animal on the face of the planet. Medicine of the Wolf centers on the remarkable, world-renowned environmentalist and National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg, who has photographed, studied and been on the ground with wolves for 45 years—longer than anyone in history. As our guide, Brandenburg enables us to see the world of the wolf as we have never seen it before. The film also has a crucial message for us: The gray wolf must be preserved on the endangered species list.
To purchase the film, go to: http://www.medicineofthewolf.com

Julia Huffman, photograph courtesy of Julia Huffman

Release date: March 2015 (USA)

Director: Julia Huffman

Producers: Julia Huffman, Rudolf Buitendach

Running time: 1h 14m

Executive producers: Raymond J. Markovich, Beth Little, Anca Van Assendelft

Editor: Rudolf Buitendach

Medicine of the Wolf full movie is available on Amazon Prime Video

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Medicine-Of-The-Wolf/0G0WC8AT1BREQWTHDYULK6MUC

People & Wolves: a story of coexistence is a Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin Film

For centuries, the Ojibwe have lived alongside their brother, Ma’iingan, who we know in English as the wolf. In February 2021, a brutal assault, a hunt on their wolf relative, stirs emotion and grief for Ma’iingan as they know what happens to him will happen to them.

People & Wolves Official Trailer

Awards

Movie Play International Film Festival-Nominee
Royal Wolf Film Awards- Award Winner
Australia Independent Film Festival- Quarter-Finalist
Mindfield Film Festival • Albuquerque-Finalist
Critics’ Choice International Film Festival- Award Winner
Montreal Independent Film Festival- Award Winner
2024 ARFF Amsterdam // International Awards- Quarter-Finalist
Red Cedar Film Festival-Award Winner
36 Girona Film Festival Official Selection

Watch the full Documentary on YouTube here:

Cast:

Cast: Edith Leoso, Peter David, Marvin DeFoe, Michael Waasegiizhig Price, Patrick Durkin, Sandy Gokee, John Johnson Sr., and Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace.

Director/Producer; Rachel Tilseth, Manish Bhatt; co-producer, Writer; Rachel Tilseth, and Tyler Grape; Cameraman.

Poster Design: Ned Gannon
Featured song ” Don’t Know Why, But They Do” Words & Music by Joe De Benedetti & Noah Hill.

Tyler Grape, cameraman; Rachel Tilseth, director/producer; and Justin Koehler, editor, accepting the award for best documentary short at the Red Cedar Film Festival.