documentaries
Vision Films Acquires Jeff Bridges–Narrated Doc “In The Company of Wolves” Ahead of Cannes Premiere
Vision Films acquires In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey, Susan Kucera’s new documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges, premiering at Cannes May 15, with a limited theatrical and TVOD release July 17, 2026.
Vision Films has picked up In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey, an environmental documentary narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges and directed by award-winning filmmaker Susan Kucera. The film is set to debut at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 15 at the Olympia Theater, with a limited theatrical rollout and transactional VOD release to follow on July 17, 2026.
A nature documentary that reframes American history
Rather than treating wolves as a backdrop to frontier mythology, In The Company of Wolves positions them—and other animals—as co-travelers through the American story. The documentary traces a sweeping timeline from the shores of England to the birth of the New Republic and into the colonization of the modern American West, exploring how the nation’s evolving relationship with wolves shaped folklore, identity, and the idea of “nationhood” itself.
Kucera describes the project as a shift in perspective: “I think this film stands apart because it reframes the American mythos—moving beyond human ambition to the deeper relationships that shaped the land, and in turn, the nation itself.”
A third collaboration for Kucera and Bridges
The documentary marks the third collaboration between Kucera and Bridges, following previous environmental projects including Living in the Future’s Past. Vision Films CEO and Managing Director Lise Romanoff said the company is “proud to partner with Susan Kucera again” and called the film “a spectacular visual journey and a reminder of the need to respect and preserve our planet’s ecosystem.”
Bridges, whose voice anchors the film’s historical and ecological throughline, added that the story “reminds us that the wild and the domesticated have always reflected the deeper story of who we are as a nation — and who we might yet become.” According to the release, Bridges is also using his compensation to support multiple conservation organizations, including The Vital Ground Foundation, which protects and connects wildlife habitat in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Voices, experts, and an evocative score
The film features commentary from members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and Crow Nation, alongside historians and authors who have shaped public understanding of wolves and the American West. Participants named in the announcement include:
- Michelle Paver, best-selling author of the Wolf Brothers series (over 3 million copies sold worldwide)
- David Quammen, science writer (Outside, National Geographic)
- Professor Jon Coleman (University of Notre Dame), author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
- Cristina Eisenberg, Native American ecologist and author
- Jason Baldes, Eastern Shoshone conservationist (Intertribal Buffalo Council, Conservation Lands Foundation)
- Cameron Krebs, fourth-generation sheep rancher
Adding to the film’s atmosphere is an original score by Keefus Ciancia, whose credits include True Detective.
Release plan: Cannes first, then theaters and TVOD
For audiences tracking Cannes premieres and documentary acquisitions, the release plan is straightforward:
- Cannes Film Festival premiere: May 15, 2026 (Olympia Theater)
- Limited theatrical release + TVOD: July 17, 2026
For updates, the filmmakers point viewers to the official site: inthecompanyofwolvesfilm.com.
About the companies behind the release
Vision Films is an independent sales and VOD aggregator with a catalog of more than 800 features, documentaries, and series, releasing 2–4 films per month across theatrical, VOD, DVD, and television.
Rangeland Productions, founded by producer Jim Swift, focuses on documentaries and independent films and has previously produced and executive produced projects with Kucera, including Living in the Future’s Past, Breath of Life, and Hot Money.
What to watch for
With its Cannes debut and Jeff Bridges’ continued presence in environmental storytelling, In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey is positioned to land at the intersection of prestige documentary, American history, and conservation cinema—an increasingly crowded space where voice, point of view, and cultural framing matter as much as the visuals.
