The reported appearance of a bear in a quiet Croatian coastal village, in the middle of wild asparagus season, triggers a wave of rumours, online debates, videos and speculation. Does the bear really exist? This is not the animal’s usual habitat, and yet today nothing ever seems entirely certain. What if the story had been deliberately fabricated to scare away new asparagus pickers and maximise profit? Asparagus Bear explores with sharp irony the power of storytelling and its effects in the age of digital media, where misinformation and algorithmic imaginaries constantly blur the line between reality and fiction.

Ivan Grgur studied at the Restart School of Documentary Film after several years working in journalism and writing. _Asparagus Bear _premiered in the Frontlight section at IDFA.