CUFF 2020: Big Fur Review

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc with the world as a whole, prompting the cancellation of countless film festivals including this year’s Calgary Underground Film Festival. As a result, many festivals have turned to a digital model to continue to present their lineups. To keep up with our latest digital CUFF coverage, click here.

Taxidermy is a profession that is frowned upon in many circles and is almost viewed as a taboo activity. Many animal rights organizations firmly believe that its a cruel and surreal practice that transforms living, breathing creatures into household decorations. Professionals within the art world often refuse to recognize it as a form of visual art. Even those who own products of taxidermy often don’t have an understanding as to what drives someone to choose that specific profession. Despite the controversy surrounding it and backlash towards those who practice it, taxidermy is a thriving profession that is practiced all across the world, mainly in rural areas. Aside from being a profession that earns money, many taxidermists submit their work to galleries and compete in international competitions. 

Big Fur is a documentary that tells the story of Ken Walker, a taxidermist from Alberta, Canada who has won several international competitions and is recognized as one of the best in his profession. However, Ken Walker isn’t a regular taxidermist. He specializes in mammals and often creates fictional or extinct creatures out of common animals. Ken is a firm believer in “Bigfoot”and throughout the film he investigates local sightings and interviews experts in order to create a model Sasquatch for the 2015 Taxidermy World Championships. 

Big Fur is at its best when it explores Walker’s overwhelming passion for taxidermy and how it affects his relationships with the people closest to him. The audience is given insight into what makes taxidermy a misunderstood art-form and what drives someone to select it as their profession. Meanwhile, we are also given a window into Walker’s life outside of his career and how he sustains a healthy relationship with his wife, kids and parents, despite being so dedicated to a profession that none of them truly understand. This portion helps humanize him, who is generally very difficult to relate to due to his eccentricities.

While the film is genuinely entertaining and is an interesting exploration of a niche subject, it’s very messy and frequently gets sidetracked. It gets bogged down in exploring Walker’s fascination with proving the existence of Sasquatches, which takes a relatively large portion of the film’s brisk runtime. The film also fails to leave a long-lasting impact and doesn’t necessarily dig deep enough into the subject it’s exploring.

In the end, Big Fur is a flawed, but quirky and entertaining documentary that is worth watching if you are interested in learning more about taxidermy. 

still courtesy of Slamdance

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Tristan French