Episode 180

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Published on:

5th Apr 2026

Wonders of the Wolf - Director Angie Ruiz

WONDERS OF THE WOLF was filmed in Yellowstone National Park primarily in the Lamar Valley. It features the Park's famed wolf Matriarch, 907F. She lived to be 11 years old and died on Christmas Day 2025. She was the oldest wolf in Yellowstone National Park before her death. The film also features the longest running wolf pack called Mollies Pack -- named after Mollie Beatty who was the first female director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Wonders of the Wolfis an award-winning documentary exploring one of the most successful conservation efforts in modern history, The Yellowstone Wolf Project. From their historic recovery in 1995 to today's thriving wolf packs, Yellowstone Wolf Project biologists share inspiring stories about the wolves they study in the park. Using bioacoustic technology, researchers are uncovering how wolves communicate, applying their findings to resolve livestock-wildlife conflicts and protect these majestic creatures. Director Angie Ruiz joins us to tell a very personal connection she experienced during the making of Wonders of the Wolf.

About the filmmaker - California native, Angie Ruiz is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. She is the writer, director, and producer of Black Beauty Breed, a film that celebrates the intelligence and inherent working abilities of the Rottweiler breed. She fell in love with the breed after rescuing a Rottweiler in 2007. She created the film to give the Rottweiler a fair and more balanced portrayal in the media. The film screened in multiple cities worldwide and is currently streaming on AppleTV and AmazonPrime. Black Beauty Breed has played an active role in redefining the Rottweiler’s image in the media. Accurate terms such as “working breed” and “intelligent” are now more commonly used when describing them.

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About the Podcast

Cinemafile
Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

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Michael Kaspar

Mike Kaspar is a life-long film fan who has worked as a projectionist at an art house theatre, college radio station general manager as well as a radio show host and producer for over 18 years.