Sci-Fi Short Film “Bears Discover Fire" | DUST

[@Ifnotbeyoubeme]

This short film was shot in Fairton NJ. That nuclear tower is in Salem. I showed up at my mother in laws once and happened upon the filming of this on this 800 acre farm. The actors in the bear costumes were creepily spot on. That mansion was thought to be part of illegal booze running during prohibition. During the removal of the hard wood floors in the living room, hundreds of prohibition era bottles were found. There’s a lot of history out at that old farm. Congrats guys!

[@Fretless99]

Great comment! I envy you, being present for the filming...very cool

[@kurtlangberg6143]

“Well... it looks like bears have discovered fire.” One of the BEST lines I’ve heard in fiction! And that includes the way in which it was delivered.

[@Riverrockphotos]

I know the whole way he delivered that was just priceless. The look on his face the calm demeanor the simple farmer folk it was dead on.

[@AlanCanon2222]

@Robert It's just like the short story! So good!

[@MrIanMason]

So good!! I laughed out loud

[@pieroraffaelesanna4499]

@@AlanCanon2222 I loved it when i read it lotta years ago, happy to see they made a fathful short movie!!!

[@pieroraffaelesanna4499]

*faithful

[@rcnelson]

A bear holding a lit torch? Definitely a Kodiak moment.

[@kaijorgensen6940]

Take my damn like!

[@roadking99jokerst60]

Cute.

[@tomgraves6463]

I'm just glad the Bears did not also show up with pitchforks. 👍

[@ronaldmorgan7632]

What's next? The statue of libearty?

[@edgufler1122]

That was funny ...lmbo

[@TaintedMojo]

Finally, it’s time to exercise our right to arm bears

[@hodaka1000]

The shooters motto, if it moves shoot it, if it doesn't cut it down

[@roadking99jokerst60]

@@hodaka1000 super rats were much smaller in the day.

[@bobsteb61]

No no no.... u mean that is the right to have bear arms. Get it correct. (...rawr..)

[@manofsan]

If bears can fire, then they can bear arms

[@williamdickinson2214]

A bear bearing his bare bear arms!

[@joshuamoore4971]

*sees bear holding a torch* "Oh cool, that's a thing now"

[@ryancory5958]

"hey grandma i found these random berries in the woods." grandma - "nomnomnom"

[@riseALK]

She doesn't have long to linger here.

[@aarond1622]

Bears discovering fire...bah, they learned it from the racoons. Damn racoons have been causing dumpster fires around here for years.

[@autumnhomer9786]

Aaron D 😹

[@jeremysears4263]

😂

[@davidhumphries7092]

Hey Yogi where's the fried chickin basket?

[@nos4atu666]

Nice

[@skellymom]

His name is Rocket...and don't call him rabbit.

[@strikkmoez]

The prequel to Planet of the Bears.

[@mitch3064]

I wish you had not gone there. "Damn dirty Bears" screams Charlton Heston from his grave!

[@skellymom]

They only adopt humans that bring hot dogs and marshmallows.

[@HawkinaBox]

Reminds me of Paddington

[@kenzij]

I wanted to give you a thumbs up but you're at a perfect 100 and I can't be the one to change that. 👍🏽

[@ssbohio]

@@kenzij He's at 170 now. It's time.

[@chriswells4028]

The bear was simply helping them with light since the flashlight went out

[@johnhalchishick7094]

Next thing you know, they will be changing tires

[@SkyRied1]

@@johnhalchishick7094 They will still have a couple of hundred thousands of years before doing that.

[@DocJamesH]

@@SkyRied1 Not if they learn from us!

[@tls5870]

@@DocJamesH Right - they don't have to invent the wheel, only discover it from us.

[@johnharrison7997]

I could bearly stop smiling while watching the movie.

[@bruceappleby6222]

now that was a really bad pun LOL

[@rcnelson]

I had to paws for a moment when I read that.

[@petergriffin5933]

Your pun is unbearable

[@roadking99jokerst60]

With ya.

[@8437james]

Groan. Cute but still

[@danagioia9056]

It's great to see Terry Bisson's classic story turned into such a fine short film.

[@AlanCanon2222]

Coming back after a year just to heap more praise on this adaptation of my all time favorite science fiction story set in Kentucky. The thing about the Uncle gently correcting the English grammar of his nephew is straight out of the book, and reminds me of my grandparents, from rural Murray Kentucky, but they were both schoolteachers, who helped literally build Murray State University in its infancy, as students in the late 1920s. Yes, they had thick West Kentucky accents, but their English grammar and usage was immaculate. To them, education was invaluable, a privilege, and more was never enough. I miss them so much. Grandmother taught high school science and Home Economics, at the High School level, and Granddaddy taught introductory Physics to generations of high school and college students. Grandmother could explain to me and my sister how to make candles, and soap, and what happens when bread rises, and grandfather could take a piece of string and a thumbtack, and use Euclidean geometry to mark a board in half precisely.

[@noahmartin2130]

I laughed for like 5 mins when the girl on the phone said “your mothers gone” it was so nonchalant and it was hilarious

[@PopJacare]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha. yeah that was kinda crazy!!

[@beringstraitrailway]

She's not gone...I mean she's gone!

[@momkatmax]

I was called about a patient of mine scheduled for a brain biopsy and was told sorry, he is gone. I expressed regrets and she said no he busted out of the in patient room and walked out.

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

That's about as non-chalant as they DO get. Ours was about the same way.

[@fannyslam]

She's Heather on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! Exact same character 😂

[@james5460]

Not only have bears discovered fire, but they've discovered proper forestry techniques for keeping the fire from spreading and logs to sit to to shoot the breeze before going to bed. That one bear was more talkative than some people I've spent time with around campfires. Looks like they spent time in the Cub Scouts.

[@AlanCanon2222]

Well of course, by definition.

[@Stasiaflonase]

This was a delightful little tale of family dynamic at it’s best. Let’s all be bears. 🐻

[@huverdoose]

"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? It does if a bear sets it on fire." This is just the sort of inane intro I would expect from TV news. That's good writing.

[@Windrider6]

I have always remembered this short story from "Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine". It stood out in my memory from the many stories I read in the magazine. Thankfully Wikipedia tells me that the story is in the August 1990 edition, so that will save me time when looking in my boxes containing the magazines. I'm going to read it again, and add an addition to this comment afterward. Edit: After reading the story again, I am reminded again why I usually avoid reading a story/novel AND watching a video/movie adaptation of it. I end up spending so much thought on the many differences, that it is difficult to just enjoy the story.

[@ralphacosta4726]

Yeah. I'm trying to learn to just enjoy each for what it is.

[@jestrada123]

I agree with this. After reading the story, I watched this, and this differences bothered me too much.

[@ckhprojectpro777]

This was very sweet. The bears had such expression, even in silence. I'm curious how they were designed. Well done and thanks again, Dust, for great content.

[@ianarmstrong9594]

It was a guy wearing a big foot costume

[@louisbrugnoni1291]

Who knew someone could make a movie about bears with fire and I would end up crying in the end! I rate this video 3 Wows!

[@Seanresists]

I love this. It is a very telling short.

[@adamwho9801]

This is an amazing short story by Terry Bisson. I would highly suggest his short story collection, it is also in audio-book with the great narrators.

[@juanzero5398]

Great film and I can't think of a better way to go

[@Laffy-ix5xy]

This film is so sweet. It's surprising how much of a story they packed into thirteen minutes. My only wish is that it had been at least 80 minutes longer.

[@sovetskiykozel797]

The way the uncle said "Unless Your A Bear" and walks away eating the berries makes me think, Is the Uncle really a bear? Seriously am I the only one that picked up on that?

[@kimba381]

I doubt very much that you were the only one.

[@AnthonyVassallo]

No, the uncle is as open-minded as his nephew and mom. Each sampled the berries and thought nothing of what they saw.

[@Redvines69]

I thought it was weird that he said that RIGHT after the kid said not to.

[@riseALK]

*You're

[@sovetskiykozel797]

@@riseALK Your

[@burntpieceoftoast4148]

I laughed so hard over the bear just standing there with a stick on fire staring at the guys.

[@roadking99jokerst60]

Bear was being helpful, giving illumination to the tire swap out.

[@the_mighty_bearcat]

I thought it was funny, but I was also kinda scared outta my mind.

[@AlanCanon2222]

@@roadking99jokerst60 Or just curious.... in the short story it's impossible to tell.

[@jlovelysoul]

This was hilarious 😂 I loved it.

[@Cydonia2020]

And the female bears were thinking, “Great. Now they will be expecting us to cook their fish for them.”

[@cynthiaayers7696]

But only in an English voice lol. Or if you're familiar with Monty Python? That kind of voice.

[@cynthiaayers7696]

@BLAIR M Schirmer just like a sow hahaha. That's what you call a female bear, a sow.

[@Kamelhaj]

Then they'll want their females bear-foot and pregnant.

[@prophetzarquon]

Pretty sure that first bear with a torch _was_ female. Why would you assume it was male?

[@fukpoeslaw3613]

@@prophetzarquon There are no female bears holding torches, they simply don't exist, it's a ridiculous idea; do I really have to tell you that?!

[@bendia77]

There was something very innocent and moving about this film. About the human condition. I loved it!

[@prophetzarquon]

Upon review, Grandma may have died from eating those berries... Why did they separate the kid from his guardian? Sleeping next to a fire in the woods is pretty ordinary behavior & not something they'd withdraw custody for. That part seemed very weird to me.

[@capnbobretired]

He was unshaven and did not have his shirt tail tucked in all the way, and was obviously a farmer. They were from the government and they were there to help. The best thing to do is turn the kid over to child wellfire.

[@jodrew1845]

Also in practical terms, they needed to confirm she wasn't coerced into leaving the home or murder by the son.

[@AlanCanon2222]

In the original story, the child's father, the narrator's brother, is with them the whole time, so that aspect of the plot is an invention for the film version. But the original story did have some anti-bear human factions in it (who kick the bears' woodpile apart while they're leaving in the morning), so maybe that's what they were going for, condensing it to that one exchange with the incredulous first responder. From the story: "The troopers were sniffing the air and nodding. The bear smell was still strong. Wallace and I wrapped Mother in the bedspread and started with her body back out to the highway. The troopers stayed behind and scattered the bears’ fire ashes and flung their firewood away into the bushes. It seemed a petty thing to do. They were like bears themselves, each one solitary in his own uniform."

[@jackstealo7518]

Seemed like dude was happy to get rid of the kid

[@Foxkitten86]

Berries looked like mistletoe.

[@bergfpv6486]

Gotta say, these short films on dust are fascinating and often original, but they always leave you hanging at the end.

[@justinplayfair4638]

Remember... approach bears ONLY IF they're wielding a lit torch...

[@johns1307]

That news line is like the best shitpost ever. "If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound? It does if a bear sets it on fire."

[@lancetschirhart7676]

I’ve thought long and hard about what the true answer to that question is, and now I know

[@AlanCanon2222]

Oh, also, the "I have gone a million miles...." in the original story, the grandmother was a retired school bus driver. "You know old people exaggerate..." So that's where the "million miles" comes from. Also, in the story, the only reason that Mom hated the nursing home was that they would only let her chew tobacco during certain hours, and only so much.

[@mindbreaker2415]

Even more amazing is bears discover they now have thumbs

[@JOBRAIL1]

Opposable thumbs

[@ezj8262]

Or dolphins develop legs and walk out of the water, but then they get sunburned and die. There goes evolution.

[@Chris-jw8vm]

If they can climb with their paws then presumably they could hold a torch. Making one would I imagine be much more tricky if you didn't have thumbs but some people with physical disabilities can compensate in unexpected ways. And finding and transporting fire would be easier than it was for us. People camp all over the place and leave campfires going whilst away or asleep. Took a while until we started making fire rather than transporting it from let's say a lightning strike to making bow drills. Bit unrelated but a great uncle of mine could and did roll cigarettes one handed when he was a sailor in ww2. That's basically the equivalent of having no thumbs to me. I'd probably take more time rolling a cigarette with one hand than I would with 8 fingers and no thumbs. Bit surprised that domesticated or tamed animals and humans seem to be the only ones that appreciate a camp fire. Would have thought it would draw animals more often because of the novelty of it the light and warmth but I guess the instinctual fear is pretty hard wired without conditioning.

[@prophetzarquon]

Bears _do_ have thumbs. They're not as dextrous as ours (bears also have non-retractable claws) but they're quite capable of gripping things such as ladder rungs or tree branches. (Giant Pandas have a different bone which they use like a sixth toe, but all bears are fairly good at grabbing things, considering how bulky the pads & claws are.) I think they'd have little trouble transferring fire from a lightning strike to a pile of wood, if they had a compelling reason to do it.

[@treykearns4867]

Hey nice last name! I think you spelled it wrong though, missing the "A"... hahaha

[@claudes.whitacre1241]

If I came across a standing bear holding a torch..I couldn't drive away. I'd have to stay and see it through. Fascinating concept. Well directed and perfectly cast.

[@AaronDoud]

Well look who I found in the comment section. Mutual interests converge again and again.

[@troysimon9933]

For those that are...I suppose they'd be called,... evolutionists..this short, seemingly insignificant clip...DOES raise some very...let's say...interesting, questions. Since evolution is a "process", that is ever on-going, and, its effects will manifest themselves in ALL manner of living creatures, in various unique and specific ways. Any & all evolutionary adaptations, are the result of any number of.."pressures" that are placed upon a/any species, such as, environmental changes, availability of sufficient sustinence , "food, water, etcetera", or, competition with other species FOR those resources...are just a couple of examples. The degree of these evolutionary physiological adaptations, are typically "somewhat" proportionate, to whatever "pressures" neccesitated these changes. For example, Cheetahs, over time, " needed" to be able to be fast enough, to effectively and efficiently subdue, their fast moving prey. Kind of like...the slower antelope, gazelle or whatever..would be most easily caught and killed. Therefore, the D.N.A. of the slower animals, do not pass on their genetic predisposition of not being very fast,to any subsequent generations of their species & was no longer in the.."Gene pool", however..the "faster" animals, are more likely to escape, and live on..to breed and pass on THAT trait, of being an overall faster species. Over time, this process repeats, & only the Cheetahs which were fast enough, to subdue, their "increasingly" fast moving prey, wouldn't succumb to starvation & death. The Cheetahs had the "need" to move more quickly, because their prey, by consistently having the D.N.A. of the slower animals...."culled", leaving only the strongest & fastest to pass on THEIR genetic characteristics, of being fast, strong runners. Anyways..my point is, that evolution IS.."always" at work..in every species. Deep sea creatures haven't had the "need" to evolve, because there haven't been any radical or dramitic survival pressures that would neccesitate physiological alterations. The DEEP oceans, have been, and still are, fairly unaffected by human activity, because it is so VERY difficult for humans to go there. But..when the survival "pressures" being placed upon a species, is, specifically..humans, in order to "adapt" in the manner neccesary to SURVIVE, and for the continuity of their species, those evolutionary adaptations will have to be...somewhat.. radical, and ocurr fairly quickly, in order for that species to propgate. So..there IS going to come, a time...when..the evolutionary development, of "some" OTHER species, is going to..."play, catch up", and narrow that evolutionary gap, between that species, and human-kind. For a VERY long time, many other species have been observed, utilizing other meáns, "primitive tool usage" , to obtain food. Using short twigs &' sticks, to push deeper into insect nests in tree branches, or in the ground. Sea otters, will use the EXACT same specific stone, to crack the shells of Abalone _ oysters.South African Butcher birds, live "specifically" trees with short slightly curved thorns, so that they can catch insects and ..like a butcher, will "hang" insects on those thorns, in order to..store food supplies for when insects are less plentiful. Perhaps being unlikely in our lifetimes, BUT, at SOME point, it should be.."expected" , to..."witness" another species making what seems to be, a..quite dramatic..."change", in appearance..perhaps in size, but most likely, in behavior. To develop an ability or skill, that effectively would increase the survival probability of their species. Perhaps...even as radical as the camafouge capabilities of chameleons, or of certain squids & octopi, with photophores & chromatophores..being able to alter the colors & textures of their skin. Who knows.maybe develop organs that can generate & discharge enormous amount s if electrical energy like electric eels, Ray's, catfish, or the electric stargazer deep sea fish...unrelated species, developing very similar, astoundingly radical physiological adaptions, which increased their chances of survival almost exponentially. Though it may not necessarily be a Bear, someday, there will be a time..THAT time, when MAN, will see, a different species, that will have evolved...anf adapted, and learned, to use fire. Inevitably...it is ONLY, a matter of "time". as in, its likely TO happen, if these species have ENOUGH time... TO evolve & adapt, before their own extinction.

[@samuelluria4744]

Especially well cast were the bears.

[@michaelwilliams6431]

This exactly why white people die in horror movies.

[@foxsicle]

For sure, no way id be interested in anything else till curiosity was satisfied at least. And the fact they were so chill, couldn't pass up hanging withem.

[@hidebehind2604]

Whom ever thought up the story line has a remarkable mind. And hats of to cinemphotographer. All around excellent.

[@AlanCanon2222]

I'm from the region the original story is set in, south-central Kentucky, and your comment makes me burst with pride. Yes, there are some remarkable minds from my state (the science fiction director John Carpenter grew up in Bowling Green, just down the road from where the story takes place). Bears Discover Fire is a great story to me because its characters embody a kind of understated liberalism that I think is too often neglected in political analyses of Kentucky just based on our marginal voting habits. There's about four million Kentuckians, total, and that number includes civil rights heroes, scientists, actors, artists, musicians and writers in every field. And there's a hell of a lot of salt of the earth Kentuckians who farm tobacco, say, but also go to see their sons perform in the Louisville Ballet every time they get a chance. Bears Discover Fire is an outlandish tale but its characters are very real to me, and so ably acted, directed, and filmed here.

[@Clintercepted]

Discovered this channel two days ago and I have been binge watching these shorts in my free time. Until now, I would have said that I could not pick a favorite, because they're all so different. This one, this is my favorite. It is exactly what the title says it is and I love it.

[@467-k1m]

Welcome home Clint W.

[@jalexwheeler7751]

At least the bear knows how to HOLD A DAMN FLASHLIGHT.

[@BrianSmith-vl7xu]

"has smokey lost his way?" lol

[@davidlowrie579]

I thought imagination was disappearing. What a wonderful tale.

[@DUCKDUCKGOISMUCHBETTER]

Remember, only forest fires can prevent bears! That was the only thing I learned as a kid from my Smokey The Bear comic book. 😂

[@PoweredbyRobots]

Lots of metaphors and some ancient indigenous people’s wisdom. Quality.

[@soul832006]

Nobody picked up that the bears are probably representations of the old souls who have passed on. Hence their level of intelligence and understanding of the fire. It didn't really feel like science fiction but more like an exploration of passing on and dealing with the loss of a loved one.

[@Engrave.Danger]

I got that but with the addition of assisted suicide.

[@AlanCanon2222]

I'm a fan of the short story, and had never made that symbolic connection. Thank you.

[@KBENNSLAPTOP]

Just Luved It ! Lying here awake and in pain at 4am. Watching News programs etc Then Started my "Awake Night's" Treat of Dust !! 1st one - I was just Confusulated beyond belief ! 😕😔😞 Then This wonderful piece of Whimsical Magic, Just Blew everything Away !! Crappy Feelings from the News Silly Shorts from IDK !! & NOW.....🙄 BIG SMILE 😊 PAINS EASING 🤗 MOOD JUST LIFTED UP HIGH ! 😉 Thanks DUST & The Film Makers 👍👍☘POD🍀🖒🖒 & Please Remember :- STAY HOME : STAY SAFE : SUPPORT THE HEALTH CARERS/FRONT LINE WORKERS WHO KEEP US SAFE & WELL SUPPLIED !! Thank You, One & All👍 👏💚🖖 Plus - Would U Swap Places ?!!!

[@davidluck1678]

sequel, coming soon on DUST: "bears discover nuclear weapons"

[@JOBRAIL1]

There might be a combustible engine in there first.....

[@prophetzarquon]

The final book is Bears Discover Hybrid Mesh Networking, but it really goes off the rails after squirrels discover arson & cats discover guns.

[@zsoltbogai6617]

"Nucular" it is :D

[@ianhausser8771]

@@prophetzarquon LOL

[@cintiapollock2486]

no ..just no

[@pculiarmann7080]

Wow...a Dust film with an actual ending.

[@Shabon67]

Watch Exit Strategy and The Candidate, and then come back and talk to me about endings. ;)

[@AnthonyVassallo]

@Cheryl Lynne Yes they are. Frigging excellent flicks that stay with you.

[@AnthonyVassallo]

Watch One Minute Time Machine

[@edbailey7533]

What a cool little story! In my heart of hearts, I imagine that the story was a response to a bar-room challenge, where one guy said something like, "Okay, you say you can make up a story about anything, eh? Then how 'bout you make up a story where... (looks around, notices a carved wooden bear in the corner) um, bears... ah, lemme see... discover.... hmmm (gazes into fireplace)... fire!" But however the story came into being, it was made into a tight film, with just enough attention to the details, and no wasted moments. Love it! By the way, did anyone else notice that the first few notes of the theme song sound *exactly* like the first few notes of the Stuff You Should Know podcast theme song? I kept wanted to sing out, "Stuff you should know!" every dang time I heard it...

[@CybershamanX]

+Ed Bailey I just dropped my coffee cup as everything you said clicked into place! heheheh ;) :P (For those not in the know: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5CZZmlmdrxksLM Spoiler alert for the ending reveal of the movie "The Usual Suspects"!) :) PS: I love the short film, too! Thank you Dust for sharing! :)

[@edbailey7533]

CybershamanX 😁

[@franciscodanconia45]

Which, of course, is exactly how the cult of Scientology was created, except for the bears, the plot development and the quality film....

[@differous01]

The first hominid to do this seemed 1. no less strange to all other beings, And 2. onto something worth stealing. But a Bear Prometheus, Has something to compete with: Us.

[@zardoz_ii2061]

Better yet, bears discover fire in the middle of a sharknado............no, wait........

[@4rah46]

Storytelling is not dead! What sweet yarn, and to end it with Grandma's beautiful smile. Bravo

[@skellymom]

Next up: Bears at a concert holding up lighters.

[@annettevillain4352]

Or flashlight app on cell phones

[@travelerseeker512]

Very good acting. (the acting of the humanoids was decent also). One thinks that perhaps the Berries were psycodelics.. And that bears don't actually sit around camp fires after all?

[@CybershamanX]

See Dust post notification: I click fast. See title "Bears Discover Fire": I broke my mouse clicking so hard. ;) Thank you, Dust! :)

[@vinx551]

I broke my finger lol

[@CybershamanX]

I guess I was lucky, eh? ;) :P

[@watchdust]

:)

[@MarsupialMason]

Waited three years for this since CHUCK TESTA confirmed he was making a bear suit for a high quality flick. Oh F'in God. So amazing. Great work guys :)

[@CybershamanX]

+Marsupial Man Oh, cool. That's interesting! Thanks for sharing! :)

[@domundtgregor6683]

that's the way I would like to go, when it's my time : A peaceful picnic in the woods, with my favorite grand child and some huge bears sitting around the fire and just sleeping away ...

[@brandycewonderland1497]

He's pretty chill for just loosing his mother and having his nephew taken from his care.

[@Ericobioas]

Maybe he was just tired from booth?

[@rogercraven2667]

The berries have THC in them.

[@tommys30s]

He barely care

[@mattmchugh992]

He ate a berry at the end.

[@vivianeb90]

Uncle Bobby's actor was great. Really good. And I like his character.

[@martingoldfire]

This is bearly a story, but bear with it anyway, it'll bear fruit in the end.

[@AnOrdinaryWombat]

Stop, I can't bear it any longer!

[@nolan412]

It bore berries.

[@gonosoe3952]

Oh, thats bearly true

[@18wolfspirit]

"It looks like bears have discovered fire." He said that like it was the most normal thing in the world. Like he had just stepped in a cow pie.

[@AlanCanon2222]

That's straight from the short story it's based on. One of the things I love about this film is that it so very faithful to the spirit of the original. There are some minor changes but they hit every nail on the head. Kentucky science fiction writers for the win!

[@DeadLisa]

Gives new meaning to "Smokey Bear ". I really liked that, but I also love bears! 👍🐻

[@unm0vedm0ver]

Smokey THE Bear, come on now.

[@DeadLisa]

@@unm0vedm0ver lol his "real" name is actually Smokey Bear.. . but yes he is "The" bear. 🐻

[@unm0vedm0ver]

@@DeadLisa are you trying to shatter my reality rn???

[@DeadLisa]

@@unm0vedm0ver jeez I'm sorry .. .I was shocked to find out his real name too....😲

[@tirsden]

Smokey: "Only YOU can prevent forest fires! Wait, crap, dropped my torch."

[@briananthony4044]

Bears ate the berries, got more intelligent and discovered fire. Grandma ate a berry and got out of her wheelchair and walked into the woods quite a distance, they had to use the truck to visit her. Must be a special type of berry.

[@AlanCanon2222]

Insightful.

[@FeaturingMaxAsMax]

Thank you so much! I read this story a long time ago in the anthology "Year's Best Science Fiction 1991." After all those years, it's the only story in the anthology that I remember. I loved how understated the story was, and I'm delighted to see that the film captures the same vibe.

[@geiserman2]

Thanks for reminding me where I read the story. Touched my heart then and found the film better than I could imagine the story in my head. Great job.

[@AlanCanon2222]

YES, about the understated nature of the story, and how well it was translated to the screen. And speaking of a Kentuckian, I'm happy that they preserved the portrayal of Kentuckians in the story. We take big news in stride, and care about teaching our children proper grammar (carried over directly from Bisson's short story, as is so much in the film). The exchange in the tire-changing scene, fixing one's own tire, is a major theme carried over from the story, about the importance of knowledge and self-reliance.

[@marclytle644]

I remember reading that story too. Been a long time and barely remember it. Oh ugh... just caught that after I typed it. Sorry.

[@digitalbookworm5678]

That's probably the anthology I read. Seems about right. Almost 30 years ago. 😁

[@swright1970]

Hollyweird can no longer create fiction of this caliber. It's sad, really. And it's hauntingly refreshing, too. Much like this short.

[@michaelnoone1083]

I the bears keep advancing at this pace, pretty soon they will be wasting hours watching videos on you tube.

[@jimajube]

The Foundation has secured the woods. SCP contained. Object class: safe

[@mattjones2303]

Object class upgraded to Euclid once they discover that cooked meat is fucking delicious. a 1km containment zone is set up and a steady stream of non-violent D class used to deliver meat rations. Bears have been known to discipline misbehaving D class by way of branding, repeat offenders at risk of being eaten on occasions where suitable rations are low, or the population of intelligent bears expands unexpectedly. Standard issue bear spray to be carried by all foundation personnel with one armed guard in towers separated by 500 meters surrounding containment zone. A 50 meter air-gap must exist between containment zone and surrounding wilderness at all times and be cleared of debris, shrubbery, and weeds weekly to prevent spread of wildfire into or out of the containment zone, and provide a save partol zone for containment personel. Bears found in the air gap are to be calmly escorted back to the colony. Escape attempts are to be treated with non-lethal force and subsequent ration restrictions to the offending bears. Human explorers are to be treated with Class C amnestics and dropped of at the local police station. Resistance by human explorers to extraction, or any Humans seen leaving the bear colony are to be treated with lethal force and left at a near by non-intelligent bear cave to make their death appear natural

[@jacobuponthestone9093]

@Coleson Smithson better

[@arachannel5084]

Feeling the heart felt good. Thank you, Dust

[@teamgreen404]

👍👍No bears were harmed in the making of this movie!! Thanks Omeleto

[@johannadauria6478]

That was a totally bearable tale to watch; no grizzly scenes or blood. The gramma(r) police wasn't teddy-ious either. Two paws up🐾

[@Nugnugnug]

This comment section is bad enough without your ursinine puns.

[@johannadauria6478]

@@Nugnugnug Awwww....r u having a rough day? Comere and I'll give u some big momma bear hugs❤

[@johannadauria6478]

@@Nugnugnug Little Nug Nug needs some hug hugs😁😘

[@AnOrdinaryWombat]

I can't bear this thread any longer.

[@johannadauria6478]

@@AnOrdinaryWombat Do you mean your patience is wearing threadBEAR....😜

[@bobg1685]

Very imaginative, and well-acted. "Well, looks like bears have discovered fire," should be part of our national lexicon. I think this might be one of Dust's shiny gems. Very well done.

[@danstheman33]

"..leaving this reporter to ask, Has Smokey lost his way?" L.O.L. Nicely played.

[@talos8878]

I took it in the last line.. Not unless you're a Bear.. then he eats the berry, just like his mom did in the nursing home and perhaps his nephew.. Hmmmm.. leaves one to wonder about evolution and how it hasn't stopped.. one day we might be the bear.. lol.. to be so lucky.

[@jaylamb218]

Love the story even though, not sure of the theme, but everything about it was great! Especially the acting from the uncle! Great job!

[@linbat6148]

Absolutely ENLIGHTNING!!!

[@benjaminshealey7451]

Good to see a good fantasy story with not to much SCI-FI stuff once in a while.

[@condew6103]

One of the old SF authors, maybe it was Assimov, said "you get one good lie, and the rest of the story follows from that" In that respect, this story is classic science fiction. But I agree, it's nice to take a break from space opera and tell a simple story like Zenna Henderson or Theodore Sturgeon might write.

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Humour is always good to balance the other stuff out with.

[@justsomeofmyfavs]

A very kind, heart-warming and amusing short film, and superbly acted at that.

[@arnoldsherrill6305]

Officially consider my mind dusted no other reaction possible I will be thinking about this for days

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Yeah, they dusted grandma out of the script!

[@joemorris8556]

When they went into the beat camp it reminded me of a far side cartoon. How they all just freeze and look at each other is hilarious. I’m also impressed with how perfect that fire was.

[@Blahblahthe2nd]

Good job retelling a sci-fi classic tale. I got the same feeling after watching this as I did reading it for the first time.

[@nereo051184]

Man finally one man who has Read it !!!!!

[@lilianrabuske205]

Um lindo e gentil filme! Estou encantada!

[@domundtgregor6683]

until 10:28 I was constantly laughing ! Then, It was sad to see that Granma has passed on, but at least she has gone surronded by her family and having a great time ! And Junior keeps to the family tradition of being a grammar nazi, lol

[@CannonRanger1]

When we are long gone from this earth, I pray that the bear will always remain. Thank you DUST.

[@baneblackguard584]

if we destroy the planet enough to end us, the bears will have been gone for a long time before that.

[@seanodoon]

Check out the book by Terry Bisson collection of short Sci-Fi stories, some good some very strange, nice to see a film of the first story..

[@Kylendros]

this story is also on XMinus1 or DimensionX

[@thicklydelicious]

I came here to say this. I'm starting to see a lot of great short stories here

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Bisson writing about bears, how silly!

[@prophetzarquon]

Wait, it wasn't Greg Bear? (I think bisson means 'obsolete'?)

[@lucyfrancis2731]

@@thicklydelicious What are the others? I tend to read a lot and am curious to see some of my favourites

[@chriseaston1392]

Great little family fantasy tale,refreshing,something special for sure.great work.

[@poitka8031]

Defnatly one if my favorite. Almost had a "where the wild things are" feel to it. Reminded me of childhood

[@venadacent7696]

Another top short.... Thanks DUST!

[@robertjones7231]

One of the most creative shorts I've ever seen. This idea of intelligent bears is an area I've haven't seen explored before. Leave it to DUST to be on the leading edge!

[@pufthemajicdragon]

Bears are pretty cool, intelligent and probably would have become the dominant advanced species on Earth if primates hadn't beat 'em to it. If we don't kill them all off with our wanton disregard for the planet we live on, there's still a chance our distant descendants could see this come true.

[@MyMrno1]

And all this time I thought sci-fi was dead and without anything new, dust shows human story telling is our greatest talent

[@johnsmith7911]

This was the best thing I have ever seen.

[@AlanCanon2222]

This is a pitch perfect and worthy adaptation of the original short story by Terry Bisson (highly recommended and available online to anyone who hasn't read it). Not a theme out of place. Greetings from Central Kentucky, where the original story takes place.

[@vegasmanic8609]

Such a simple concept that works. Excellent film.. How to make beginning actors perfect is all here.

[@Boston2George]

Absolutely fantastic!!!!

[@wright534]

Effective adaptation of a pretty surreal story, even for Bisson. It does a good job of conveying the strangeness, wonder and affection felt by the characters.

[@bobbart4198]

Very cute ... and VERY Creative ! - Thanks Dust !

[@LiveMusicOntario]

Newscaster: "... experiencing a spike in unpermitted camp fires."

[@eXpriest]

DAMNIT SMOKEY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A POSITIVE ROLEMODEL.

[@Xanian13]

anyone catch the last bit? you cant eat them spits it out, uncle unless your a bear, walks off and starts eating them!

[@paullopez6620]

Nicely done. You all doing great work. Thanks.

[@beccaberri]

this film made me smile, and I am very cold and cynical. Thank you!

[@RobinK]

The bears look super good. How did you do this?

[@isgodreal1337]

Didding

[@watchdust]

We all thought the same thing - that is a great question for the filmmakers, we'll have to find out.

[@larrykluckoutdoors8227]

Great movie

[@JustAboutAnything66]

They killed bears, hollowed them out, and stuffed them full of dirty socks and underwear.

[@ellewoods8178]

@@watchdust I noticed the bears necks were a bit ( too ) long but other than that GREAT ! 🐻

[@ricrandmfx]

I liked this short. Sort of funny, cute, silly and touching all at the same time.

[@CroshVine]

I love this story!

[@bobyoung1698]

What a wonderful story!👍😊

[@AlanCanon2222]

Production detail I noticed: the movie is from the 2010s, but the short story is from 1990-ish, and the television in the nursing home is appropriate for the period in which the story is set (i.e. not a flatscreen or widescreen television.) The story could be depicted as taking place in almost any time period, but the production designer went out of his/her way to anchor the story in the period of the original literary narrative. They found a television set, wired it up, did L-SYNC with the 4K progressive scan digital camera which filmed the scene, and recorded NTSC video of the news report. For maybe 30 seconds of usable footage. It's like the original Day the Earth Stood Still...the story isn't about special effects, yet embedded throughout the film are special effects so seamlessly executed that the audience has no clue that it's an effects sequence.

[@jsl151850b]

Oh, that's right! No video artifacts from the television to the camera! I hadn't noticed.

[@johnharvath2522]

I massively enjoyed that 🤘👍!!