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April 19, 2025
Lost Wolves of Yellowstone is a thrilling feature documentary derived from primary 16mm film footage -recovered and restored for the first time - and in-depth interviews with the key players at the center of the historic Yellowstone Wolf reintroduction. The narrative follows the eternally interconnected stories of Mollie Beattie and Wolf #5 – the alpha female of the Mollie’s Pack.
Mollie Beattie was the first female director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Her unprecedented journey included a brief stint as a fashion model in New York and a life-changing Outward Bound expedition that inspired her to pursue a career in environmental science and conservation.
In January 1995, Mollie initiated the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone, one of the most controversial and ambitious wildlife restoration projects in recorded human history. It was a "Grand Experiment”. Molly testified and debated wolf critics in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and ultimately forged unlikely friendships with her adversaries - most notably Republican Congressman Don Young from Alaska.
The first wolf that Mollie carried into the experimental acclimation pens in Yellowstone was Alpha Female #5. The matriarch was captured with five of her family members in the remote Canadian wilderness. Nobody knew if the translocated pack would survive. In the harrowing early years of the reintroduction, Wolf #5 lived out a Shakespearean drama set in the world's first national park. Her mate, Alpha Male #4, was killed by the rival Druid Pack, while her many offspring dispersed.
In the Summer of 1995, just months after the wolves arrived in Yellowstone, Mollie Beattie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She was only 49 years-old and chose to continue to work behalf of wolves and endangered species. As Molly fought for her life, Alpha Female #5 searched for a new territory in most remote regions of Yellowstone. She would go on to find a new mate and re-build her pack from the ashes – a family that Yellowstone officials named, Mollie’s Pack.
Don’t miss this story so big we had to move to a larger venue to share it! There will be a Q&A session with director Thomas Winston and editor Avela Grenier following the film!
Please note: Roxy member benefits do not apply to this special event.
