Is it a passion for wildlife, preservation or both? Is "Zooman" on a mission to fill his soul left empty by childhood trauma? These questions prevail throughout this thought-provoking film by the enterprising and promising filmmaker Rolf Winters. The film, about a man, Buddy, and his dream to build a zoo, pushes viewers to ask what is the underlying motivation behind this man's quest.
I'm not a fan of animals in captivity. So I was surprised at my reaction to this film. At its core, Zooman is a love story between one man and his desire to preserve the world's wildlife. Winters' captures this emotion in his raw footage of Buddy's daily actions, his language, the way he lives with the animals and his rationale for starting the zoo...so people know animals, care about animals, and understand their significance.
Watching the film isn't always easy. Buddy puts the animals first, sacrificing relationships, finances and even his health to ensure the animals' needs are met. One can never know what drives a man's passion, but watching this film can only leave you to appreciate that such a level of passion is alive and well within Zooman.
I found myself wanting to gather up the kids, take a road-trip to the zoo, enjoy it – and support it with a donation far beyond my means. Ultimately, I did just that, (though my donation was greatly adjusted to fit my budget.) It was worth the trip!
I'm not a fan of animals in captivity. So I was surprised at my reaction to this film. At its core, Zooman is a love story between one man and his desire to preserve the world's wildlife. Winters' captures this emotion in his raw footage of Buddy's daily actions, his language, the way he lives with the animals and his rationale for starting the zoo...so people know animals, care about animals, and understand their significance.
Watching the film isn't always easy. Buddy puts the animals first, sacrificing relationships, finances and even his health to ensure the animals' needs are met. One can never know what drives a man's passion, but watching this film can only leave you to appreciate that such a level of passion is alive and well within Zooman.
I found myself wanting to gather up the kids, take a road-trip to the zoo, enjoy it – and support it with a donation far beyond my means. Ultimately, I did just that, (though my donation was greatly adjusted to fit my budget.) It was worth the trip!
