Jensen documentary to be presented at Beloit Film Festival

MARY ANN INMAN PHOTO The Clinton Topper
Jan Jensen and her husband Mark Davis are excited that Tin Boat Productions got The Bear and the Owl documentary accepted to the Beloit Film Festival.

By Mary Ann Inman
REPORTER
Robert Jensen passed away in early 2014 but his memory lives on through a The Bear and the Owl. The film’s name was inspired by a little girl’s love of bears and Robert Jensen’s love of owls.
The screenings are going to be featured: Friday, Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m. at Bushel & Peck’s, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2:30 p.m. at Bagels & More, and Friday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. at Bushel & Peck’s. Pur-chase tickets at beloitfilmfest.org/films/the-bear-and-the-owl/.
The documentary was produced by his daughter Jan Jensen and her husband Mark Davis, owners of Tin Boat productions. They live in New York, and produced a documentary especially for the film festival. They were overjoyed when they were accepted.
Many remember the late Robert Jensen as an art teacher, principal, and superintendent at Com-munity School District. He was a prolific artist and made many cards, books and paintings over the years.
Jan Jensen explained, “This all started 30 years ago because a teacher, Mrs. Schroeder, thought it would be great if people reached out to help seven year old Joni Lillard. Joni was very sick and in the hospital. My father read the teacher’s request in the newspaper. Over a period of ten years, he sent her creative and expressive cards and she saved them all. Joni kept nearly 1,000 of my Dad’s hand-crafted cards, literally boxes and boxes of cards! Today Joni is 36 years old and her serious health and financial issues continue.”
Jan said, “When my dad passed, I was thinking about everyone we needed to notify. He hadn’t been sick, so it came as a surprise to most people. For some reason,

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