A Bear Named Wojtek is a hand-drawn/CGI animated short film (roughly 28 minutes) about the true journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear whom Polish soldiers adopted during World War II.
The film is directed by Iain Gardner and written by Wojciech Lepianka. Its voice cast includes Bill Paterson, Shauna Macdonald, Michael Golab, and Piotr Baumann.
The film is inspired by the true story of a unique human-animal bond formed amid the violence and chaos of World War II — the real Wojtek later lived out his days at Edinburgh Zoo.
Official Synopsis: The story of Edinburgh Zoo’s famous bear, Wojtek. A Bear Named Wojtek tells the fantastic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear brought to Edinburgh, having been previously adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II. (From IMDb)
Genre: Animation, Short, War Drama
Release date: The film premiered in the U.S. on August 10, 2023 at the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, was selected for the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival (TV Films competition), and had a U.S. theatrical/VOD date of July 21, 2024. It also aired on BBC Alba on May 8, 2024, and was later shortlisted for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Who Composed the A Bear Named Wojtek Score?
Normand Roger composed the music for A Bear Named Wojtek. Roger is a veteran Canadian composer and sound designer who has scored more than 200 animated films since the 1970s for the National Film Board of Canada, most notably as the longtime musical collaborator of animator Frédéric Back (The Man Who Planted Trees, Crac!). Thirteen of his scores have earned Academy Award nominations, six of which won. He also wrote the well-known theme for PBS’s Mystery! (later rebranded Masterpiece Mystery!), and scored Regina Pessoa’s Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days (2019) and Poppety in the Fall (2012). Director Iain Gardner specifically sought out Roger to score Wojtek, citing his admiration for Roger’s work with Back. In February 2025, Roger received ASIFA-Hollywood’s Winsor McCay career-achievement award.
A Bear Named Wojtek Soundtrack List
We could not confirm a standalone soundtrack album release for A Bear Named Wojtek. As a short film, its score is primarily experienced within the film itself rather than through a separate commercial release. We will update this page if that changes.
Gardner shared, “In this way, it is not really a story about a bear; it’s about refugees, hope, and love.”
Official Trailer:
The voice cast includes Bill Paterson as the Zoo Director, Shauna Macdonald as Beryl, Michael Golab as Mackie, Tomek Borkowy, James Sutherland as Chairman, Piotr Baumann as Piotr, and Remi Rachuba as Jan.
The film is a Scottish-Polish co-production, blending hand-drawn 2D, CGI, and rotoscope animation.
(Source of A Bear Named Wojtek Soundtrack 2024: Awn)
Quick Facts
| Title | A Bear Named Wojtek (2023) |
| Genre | Animation, Short, War Drama |
| Release Date | August 10, 2023 (U.S. festival premiere); July 21, 2024 (U.S. theatrical/VOD) |
| Director | Iain Gardner |
| Composer | Normand Roger |
| Studio/Platform | Scottish-Polish co-production; aired on BBC Alba |
| Where to Stream | Check current festival and VOD listings; availability varies by region |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the A Bear Named Wojtek score?
Normand Roger, a veteran Canadian composer known for scoring more than 200 animated films for the National Film Board of Canada, composed the music.
Is A Bear Named Wojtek based on a true story?
Yes. It is based on the real story of Wojtek, an orphaned Syrian brown bear adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II who later lived at Edinburgh Zoo.
Is there a soundtrack album for A Bear Named Wojtek?
We could not confirm a standalone soundtrack album release. As a short film, the score is primarily heard within the film itself.
Was A Bear Named Wojtek nominated for any awards?
The film was shortlisted for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards and was selected for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Related reading: Discover more animated soundtracks and short-film scores on our Movie Soundtrack hub, or explore our Streaming hub for more guides.