'The Oldest Polar Bear' is a short documentary that details the life of Garth Gaskey, the 77-year-old president of the Milwaukee Polar Bear Club. Garth plans to make his 55th consecutive jump into the icy waters of Lake Michigan this New Year's Day, but concerns about his health, family, and lack of publicity cause him to question its worth. We follow Garth for six months, hoping to discover why he has continued to take the plunge for so many years. As January 1st quickly approaches, Garth rediscovers his motivations for making the annual swim, and we learn that it is actually the human bond we all share that underlies the unique actions of the oldest polar bear.

Forms: Documentary, Short
Genres: Alternative, Comedy, Underground, Independent, Reality, Culture
Niches: Student