Bear with Me

Retired circus trainer Maxy lives with her last living bear in a parking lot near Amsterdam. She is only allowed to stay there while the bear is still alive.

Maxy Niedermeyer, a 80-year-old former circus trainer, built a remarkable artistic career. For six decades, she toured all over the world, gaining fame for her animal training. But when public opinion shifted and animals were banned from circuses, her life changed forever. Under pressure from civil organisations, all animals in Italy, where she guest-starred for the last time, were confiscated. Maxy managed to keep only two of them, due to their old age and inability to adapt back to nature. Now, with only Natasha, her 43-year-old brown bear, by her side, Maxy spends her final years in isolation. The film follows their extraordinary bond, capturing the twilight of a once-renowned circus star whose fate is tied to the life of her last companion.