Kolkata International Wildlife & Environment Film Festival - India Souvenir Powered by Solace Group Desham Presents cygnusadvertising.in Vikramaditya N. Bag, Class IX Subham Sinha Roy, Class XII Sagar Debnath, Class VII Arkadeep Mal Class VII Koulik Das, Class IX Souvik Maity, Class IX Green Brigade Submissions 2 0 1 6
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Kolkata International Wildlife &Environment Film Festival - India
Souvenir
Powered by Solace Group
Desham Presents
cygnusadvertising.in
Vikramaditya N. Bag, Class IX Subham Sinha Roy, Class XII Sagar Debnath, Class VII
Arkadeep MalClass VII Koulik Das, Class IX Souvik Maity, Class IX
Green Brigade Submissions
2 0 1 6
01
From The Festival Director's DeskGreen Brigade
Amazing! There are around 200 countries
in the world, among them 115 countries are
coming to Kolkata this winter! The second
edition of Kolkata International Wildlife and
Environment Film Festival have created a
new history, this year we have received
1910 submissions from 115 countries, that
is two third of the world is with us. This is
more than overwhelming response.
DESHAM, a non-governmental organization
works on Nature and Environment ground is
bringing this film festival to Kolkata.
This year film festival will be inaugurated
by Mr. Shovan Chatterjee, Mayor, Kolkata
Municipal Corporation and Honorable
Minister in charge of Fire and Environment
on 2nd December 2016. Noted
conservationist Belina Wright will be the
Guest of Honour. The inauguration will take
place at historic Star Theatre.
The organizing committee have received
1910 films from 115 countries. This year
India tops the list with 307 films, however
participation from the third world countries
is need to be mentioned, as Iran is the
second largest contributor, 218 films came
from this country, USA sent 150 films. Italy
and Spain contributed 83 films each. So
world film on Wildlife and Environment are
not only Hollywood property anymore. From
these huge number of entries the screening
committee led by noted actor and wildlife
enthusiast Mr. Sabyasachi Chakraborty,
Debashree Roy and veteran Indian cricketer
Arun Lal finalized of 200 films for
screening. So from screening 60 films to
200 films is a huge jump by the organizer.
KIWEFF has a human face too. This festival
was for all, not mentioning to any special
community. Students from various schools,
orphanage were brought to this festival
arena. Kids fighting with Thalassemia and
cancer were also regular visitor of this
festival. Now we want to extend this human
face in such a way that it will create
awareness among all. The success of First
KIWEFF has posted a lot of responsibilities
in our soldier, we have learnt a lot of things
from the mistakes too.
We are all set for the 2nd Kolkata
International Wildlife & Environment Film
Festival. This year we are coming again on
2nd December with one more day and the
festival will come to an end on 4th
December 2016. Our target is to make this
world more greener and towards this target,
we are going to take lot of initiatives, we
solicit your support. This year we are trying
to organize more talk shows, seminars and
interactions too.
KIWEFF has announced Green Brigade, a
new initiative to connect school students in
wild life, nature and environment
awareness. More than 200 schools are
connected to this movement. This way a
green initiative can be pass on to the future
citizens of the Nation.
Aditya Lal MukherjeeDirector
Kolkata International Wildlife &
Environment Film Festival
Submissions
Nafisha Mullick, Class XINeelanjan Chakraborty, Class VII Aryan Laskar, Class IX
Shashwata Chatterjee, Class IX
Arghyadip Roy, Class IX
Akash Chari, Class VIII
0302
Inaugural Film
SIROCCOCountry : India
This film has bagged Green Oscar in a Global
Category, popularly known as the Panda Awards
and has been viewed in over 78 countries.
There are only 125 Kakapo parrots left on planet Earth today. So few, that all of them have been individually named. But
one name among these is a world famous celebrity called Sirocco. A parrot so popular, that the government of New
Zealand gave him a job. Sirocco - How a Dud Became a Stud, is the delightful rags-to-riches story of a bird that shot to
superstardom.
Sirocco is the only bird in the world with a Government Job. The film unfolds the story of a parrot catapulted, by a strange
chain of events, to phenomenal fame and recognition. Today this bizarre New Zealand bird has his own PR team that
manages his public image. He has a social media following (almost two hundred thousand) that has surpassed that of
many human celebrities. He even gets his own VIP seat in the airplane that flies him on official tours. And this is
unforgettable story of his life.
Ashwika Kapur is from our own city Kolkata. She is a Wildlife & Natural History Filmmaker and is India's youngest and only woman to win the Green Oscar in a Global Category. Ashwika also
has achieved worldwide recognition as a filmmaker for being selected at America's biggest Nature Film Awards - The Grand Teton Awards at the prestigious Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.
Last year, Ashwika also received Save the Tiger Award at our 1st Kolkata International Wildlife and Environmental Film Festival.
Special Mention
Synopsis
About the Director
How a dud became a stud
The details of festivalCommittee as hereunder
Chairman : Mr. Soumitra Chattopadhyay
(Noted actor,Dada Saheb Phalke award winner)
Festival Director : Mr. Aditya Mukherjee(Social Activist)
Vice-Chairman : Mr. Arun Lal(Former Indian Cricketer)
Chief Advisor & Face of the Festival : Ms. Debasree Roy(Animal Activist, National Award winning Actress & Member of Legislative Assembly)
Chairman Screening Committee : Mr. Sabyasachi Chakraborty(Noted Actor & Wildlife Activist)
President : Mr. Gitanath Ganguly(Environmental Legal Specialist)
Chairperson (Reception) : Mrs. Keya Mukherjee
Coordinators : Mr. Manas Banerjee
(Makeup Artist)
Mr. Pratap Ghosh
Board of Advisors
Ms. Sandhya Roy, Actress & Member of Parliament
Mr. Tapas Pal, Actor & Member of Parliament
Mr. Chiranjit Chakraborty, Actor & Member of Legislative Assembly
Mr. Sandip Roy, Noted Film Director
Ms. Shatabdi Roy, Actress & Member of Parliament
Mr. Chandan Sen, Noted Film personality & Critic
Mr. Udayan Guha, Chairman, West Bengal Forest Development Corporation
Mr. Arun Kumar Gupta, IPS
Mr. S. K. Pattanyak, IFS (Retd.)
Mr. Subrata Dutta, AIFF
Mr. Aswini Choudhury
Mr. Niladri Sekhar Gangopadhay, Media Relation Consultant
Mr. Swapan Mukherjee, Programme Co-ordinator
Official Selection Category : Animation Film
0504
TreeRuntime : 1 minute 40 seconds
Country : Iran, Islamic Republic of
Directed by : sadeg akbari
DIFFERENTRuntime : 6 minutes 5 seconds
Country : Uzbekistan
Directed by : Dante Rustav
Despite of what we are what species
we belong to and where we live - the
depletion of habitat depletes us too ....
Complex forms, past evolution once,
"obey to" the circumstances, "adapt" ...
and "exist" ...
Synopsis
ImaginationRuntime : 1 minute 20 seconds
Country : Uruguay
Directed by : florentina Pérez
SmileyRuntime : 4 minutes 30 seconds
Country : Iran, Islamic Republic of
Directed by : Shahin hekmatkhah
H.PRuntime : 5 minutes 7 seconds
Country : Afghanistan
Directed by : hesam pirqadam
This animation is about a family of trees.
They have a good life but someone is
cutting down the trees one by one. Only
the child of the tree family remains. The
child wants to find his family and know
what has happened to them. On the way
he travels through a jungle without trees
because someone has cut all of those
trees as well. Finally he finds a bridge and
all of his family is there but they have
been turned into the bridge. The bad guy
comes and the child tree completes the
bridge and the man crosses the bridge
Synopsis
Animation Film
Our WonderfulNature - The CommonChameleonRuntime : 3 minutes 32 seconds
Country : Germany
Directed by : Tomer Eshed
DEATH TOLIFERuntime : 4 minutes 15 seconds
Country : United Kingdom
Directed by : Roger Bell
The Lost JungleRuntime : 2 minutes 30 seconds
Country : India
Directed by : Pushkar Chatterjee
Animation Film Animation Film
0706
The Plastic cloudRuntime : 4 minutes 22 seconds
Country : Egypt
Directed by : Marwa Abd Elmoneim
We live in a society dominated by consumerism, a social and economic system
that stimulates the purchase larger than needed quantities, and all this happens
through TV ads that offer miraculous ways to our minds, the aim of our call to buy
without thinking until we become like toxic or force a person who appear in the ad,
so I suppose in the film that the TV screen, which sit in front of him it is only the
forest is made of a lot of perishable plastic materials, Forest are trying to discover,
we find out a lot of mania such as Mania slim and lengthen the hair and the
purchase and acquisition of what we see, even if without the need of.
Synopsis
ecologyRuntime : 1 minute
Country : Ukraine
Directed by : Hasan Tvarinamoungou
ScapegoatRuntime : 8 minutes 30 seconds
Country : Israel
Directed by : Gal Haklay
Ben is struggling to find his place in
the world. He has problems with his
wife and he is a violent alcoholic who
doesn't care about anything. He even
gets tossed out of a pub. When he has
nowhere left to go, he finds his way to
a place where he thinks he could
belong – Azazel. In Azazel he learns
that the only way for him to fit in is
self-sacrifice.
Synopsis
O+AB-Runtime : 3 minutes 30 seconds
Country : Iran, Islamic Republic of
Directed by : Reza Hadiani
Robinson'sDreamRuntime : 11 minutes 24 seconds
Country : Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Directed by : Sebastian Noguera
HabitatRuntime : 2 minutes 20 seconds
Country : Switzerland
Directed by : Marcel Barelli
The AwakeningRuntime : 6 minutes 38 seconds
Country : Bulgaria
Directed by : Stella Taneva
Animation Film Animation Film
0908
RASPBERRYPLAINRuntime : 12 minutes
Country : Iran, Islamic Republic of
Directed by : Zohal Razavi
The three main characters of these
series consist of a lizard, a glow
cockroach, and a spider pictured as
children. These three insects, with
their contradictory characteristics,
create stories of funny struggles.
Synopsis
Save the TigerRuntime : 40 seconds
Country : India
Directed by : Dheeraj Jindal
The concept of blasphemy against the Gods has a complex history in Hinduism. However,
there are several occasions where religion becomes the last resort to enforce acceptable
behaviour or code of conduct. These actions are condoned in Hinduism and have a huge
impact on people and society.
Traditionally, animals have always been considered sacred in the Hindu culture. Some
animals have even been symbolically worshipped and are portrayed as the 'vahana' or
vehicles of gods and goddesses. The mighty lord Shiva rides a Bull, Lord Ganesh ride a
mouse and Goddess Durga rides a tiger. Even though tigers are worshipped in India, there
is still a lack of awareness about their decreasing numbers among the people.
Using these religious connotations, this film presents a sardonic take on the issue of
“Save the Tiger”.
Synopsis
What APeacefulDayRuntime : 4 minutes 45 seconds
Country : Taiwan
Directed by : Eden Chan
DifferentWorldsRuntime : 2 minutes 12 seconds
Country : Turkey
Directed by : Gökhan CILAM
The ArkRuntime : 5 minutes
Country : Germany
Directed by : Olga Guse
DAGNYRuntime : 14 minutes 23 seconds
Country : Denmark
Directed by : Peter Lopes Andersson
DAGNY is a 10 year
old girl, who lives
alone with her father in
a small village in the
Middle Ages. One day
in harvest the village is
offering up apples to
the god, Dagny takes a
bite of one of the
apples. Suddenly
thunder and lightening
dominate the sky, a
sign of the god's anger.
The god will come
after her, so her father
sends her into the
woods where the giants
rules. Can she survive
alone and are the
giants really as bad as
she has been told?
Synopsis
Animation Film Animation Film
1110
DadoRuntime : 3 minutes 37 seconds
Country : India
Directed by : Donna Partha
This film is based on my personal life.
Dado is a small girl living in Coorg with
her family. She is a dreamer, lost in her
own world of fantasies. She loves nature
and keeps getting lost in its beauty. This
film is an attempt to bring back
childhood memories, different feelings
and a reminder of the beauty of Coorg ,
nature ,which is now on the verge of
getting destroyed. It also shows the bond
between a mother and her child. The film
shows different activities she does in the
span of a day, from morning till evening.
She keeps track of a bird's nest that is
built in front of the house and eagerly
waits to see the hatchlings. She gets
concerned about it when it starts to pour.
She rushes home and is happy to see the
eggs hatched and safe with the mother
bird.
The music for the film was made first.
The visuals, story and the concept were
woven into it later.
Synopsis
Deep in theForestRuntime : 4 minutes 13 seconds
Country : Trinidad and Tobago
Directed by : Sarah Wilson
"Mama Glow" is a half woman, half
snake with long hair. She is the
protector of the forest and river
animals. If anyone commits a crime
against nature, they can find
themselves married to her for the rest
of their lives. A man, whose job it is to
cut down trees, begins his day as
usual, however is unaware that he
would soon encounter her.
Synopsis
FadedFineryRuntime : 10 minutes 4 seconds
Country : France
Directed by : Sonia Gerbeaud
In a remote village, a little girl
befriends a pack of coyotes. But
the villagers brutally put an end to
this relationship, unaware of the
revolution that awaits.
Synopsis
No One'sDogRuntime : 4 minutes 15 seconds
Country : Spain
Directed by : Santiago Parres
The Little GrayWolfy. TheWinter StoryRuntime : 6 minutes
Country : Norway
Directed by : Natalia Malykhina
This story happened in winter one day,
Wandering home was a wolf that was gray….
It would seem, that nothing interesting could happen to The Little
Gray Wolfy in a boring sleeping winter forest. A world around is
white, silent and cold, and poor little Wolfy feels lonely and
hungry.
But everything is changing as if by magic, when he finds some
unusual thing. Fantastic adventures begins, and all around him is
suddenly filled with bright colors, life and action. Or is it just his
memories about warm summer days?
The film takes us into a wonderful world of one curious, cute and
a bit naive little wolf, his good friends and their funny and
exciting adventures. The story for the little ones about how an
imagination can change a world around us, make it more
interesting and fill it with magic. And how one book can help in it.
A book is a way to the wonderful world. The magic world, that is
Synopsis
always nearby and ready to open its doors in front of you, if you
only open the book and open your heart and your eyes wider.
A world of adventure the book will reveal,
Of kind fantasies and heroes of zeal.
A world that is near to you day and night,
A world where you can be whatever you like.
In his warm cozy lair, awaiting spring,
One little grey wolf is having colorful dreams.
The film is available in English, Norwegian and Russian
1312
Animation Film Animation Film
Red & SilverRuntime : 8 minutes 20 seconds
Country : Norway
Directed by : Margaret Emdal
A film about flying, falling, and finding
a friend.
The world has great beauty, but it is
also a dangerous place. One day may
be your last - if a friend isn't there to
rescue you! Red makes a journey from
south to north, from warm to cold, from
light to darkness, where he is resqued
by Silver. They both go to Reds place,
where new problems are waiting. The
film is dedicated to Mother Earth and
all her creatures with wings.
Synopsis
Every Drop Counts...Runtime : 1 minute 15 seconds
Country : India
Directed by : Dhimant Vyas
For most of us living in cities with dependable amenities, drought is
something we see on TV or read on newspapers. Even if not for all the 24
hours, water does come to our houses and taps. This probably gives us an
emotional distance from the people, animals, birds and landscapes affected
by a drought. Because of this, we fail to understand that our actions have an
impact too! This film is an attempt to build that bridge. It tells the two sides
of a story, on one screen. It gives the full picture.
Synopsis
ElectrofishingRuntime : 2 minutes 41 seconds
Country : Hong Kong
Directed by : Wai Lam Wan
In a countryside, there was an old man that his family left him alone. One
day, he made friends with some dolphins. However, a fisherman still caught
the fishes by using electrofishing which affected dolphin's lives. Finally, the
old man caught the fisherman. Through the film, we want to bring out a
message that electrofishing will affect ecology of ocean.
Synopsis
Dead VolumeRuntime : 1 minute 35 seconds
Country : Brazil
Directed by : Fernão Spadotto
In 2015, the city of São Paulo (Brazil) faced the worst drought in
eight decades. The city's biggest reservoir reached technically 0%
of its volume capacity, leaving thousands without water supply.
The water company was forced to drain water from the reservoir
“dead volume”; a reserve that is below the level of the water locks and had never been used before. The
water quality is questionable due the amount of sediments and mud. The state government had already
been warned since 2004 that the collapse was imminent and almost nothing was made to mitigate it.
Synopsis
True ColourRuntime : 3 minutes 43 seconds
Country : Taiwan
Directed by : Hui-Chun Yeh
At the beginning of the story, the animals from black and white to color, afraid to the favorite, as a symbol of creativity to the meaning of life. By special color and texture to show the animals were stained by the color of the surprise and joy.
Humans are social animals, need to jump off the inherent framework for the life of creativity. The animation is different from traditional animation to the story-based style, but in a way to convey our concept. Furthermore, the work combine the motion graphic with grpaphic design to create the new style. The title "True Colour" means to show the true yourself and also intends to refer this animation is excellent.
Synopsis
1514
Animation Film Animation Film
True ColorsRuntime : 5 minutes 27 seconds
Country : United States
Directed by : Nicole Morciniec
A small sparrow falls in love with a
beautiful bird, and paints himself to be
colorful in order to catch her attention.
Synopsis
The Last JaguarRuntime : 7 minutes
Country : Mexico
Directed by : Miguel Anaya
A small sparrow falls in love with a beautiful bird, and
paints himself to be colorful in order to catch her attention.
Synopsis
LENHADOR Runtime : 4 minutes
Country : Brazil
Directed by : FÁBIO TEÓFILO
WOODCUTTER DEVASTATE LIABLE FOR A GREAT
FOREST AREA AND TURN IT INTO THE DESERT
IS touched by ATTITUDE OF TWO CHILDREN AND
RESOLVE YOUR CHANGE ATTITUDES.
Synopsis
CORAL COLORS Runtime : 4 minutes
Country : Spain
Directed by : NNTONIO RODRIGUEZ
Corals are one of the oldest marine animals of our
planet, but in turn a great unknown. Discover its
stunning beauty, its spectacular colors and the
mystery of his movements.
Synopsis
ALLEGORIA Runtime : 7 Minutes
Country : Spain
Directed by : Nobilis Bellator
An allegorical representation of a very old historical
construction that has become a monument and is given a
human conscience thru the poem of Noufel Bouzeboudja
with narration by Conrad Harvey. ALLEGORIA is a call for
the protection of our night skies endangered by humans
tha t make
bad use of
u r b a n
l i g h t i n g
which wastes
tremendous
amount o f
energy and
contaminates
t h e n i g h t
s k i e s . 8 0
Percent of
A m e r i c a n s
Can't See the
Mi lky Way
A n y m o r e .
Read more about this topic here: http://bit.ly/1UNNigS
Synopsis
THE DANGER OFPETS ON ISLANDS Runtime : 06 minutes
Country : Spain
Directed by : Luis Navarro
SynopsisCats are succesful invaders on islands because they can
su r v i v e wh i thou t
acces to fresh water.
T h e y h a v e h i g h
fecundity, adapt easily
to new environments,
and have a generalist
predatory behavior
that allows them to
feed on the most
available prey species.
It´s not a nice thing to
say but a large part of
this disaster is the
responsability of pet
owners who do not
take care to keep their
pets under control.
1716
Official Selection Category : Documentary Documentary
ACROSS ANTARCTICARuntime : 30 minutes
Country : France
Directed by : Stéphanie Gicquel
: 2045 km, 74 days, -50°C. From
November 14, 2014 to January 27,
2015, Stéphanie Gicquel (French
woman) skied across Antarctica
through the South Pole, with two
other polar explorers, including her
husband Jérémie. An expedition she
had imagined, planned and prepared
for three years. This is notably the
longest ski expedition for a woman in
Antarctica without kiting (Sources:
G u i n n e s s W o r l d R e c o r d s ,
ExplorersWeb, AdventureStats,
Adventure Network International). The film is an invitation to discover Antarctica through the
eyes and feelings of Stéphanie. It highlights some of the moments she experienced during this
long expedition - when she waited at Union Glacier base camp, started the expedition on the
coast at the same place where the mountaineer Reinhold Messner began his own kite-ski
expedition across Antarctica in 1989, when she skied up and reached the South Pole on
Christmas eve and arrived on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf floating on the Weddell Sea after
74 days of extreme effort.
This 30 minute film is not only about adventure. It is mainly about the meaning of things, fear,
freedom, fulfillment, and boldness. An invitation for everyone to live intensely, without fear
nor regret. This film also shows the life of a couple whose strength is tested under extreme
conditions. A testimony of being one with the Antarctic landmass - similar as a frozen ocean
located 3,000 meters high, with ice waves shaped by the wind. A sanctuary where nature is so
powerful and strong against explorers who dare to come, but at the same time so fragile.
Synopsis
America's National Parks :The EvergladesRuntime : 48 minutes 7 seconds
Country : Germany
Directed by : Zoltan Török
SynopsisRiver of Grass – that's what
Everglades means. One of the
largest wetlands on our planet is a
puzzle of different fascinating
habitats and home to thousands of
species. An agile female American
alligator and the Wood Stork,
perhaps the weirdest looking North
American bird; and the Key deer
that lives in the dense impenetrable
mangrove bushes of Florida Bay are
in the centre of the story. The film
presents their struggles against the
brutal forces of South Florida's
nature and also how they cope with
the army of new aggressive invasive
species. And nobody knows yet that
finally who will be the new king of
the Everglades…
Wild Hungary -A Water WonderlandRuntime : 51 minutes 37 seconds
Country : Hungary
Directed by : Zoltan Török
SynopsisA country like no other in
Europe, Hungary is influenced
by the rhythms of its rivers.
White-tailed eagles, otters and
enormous catfish share the
wetlands with many other
species living close to the local
people, often unnoticed. “Wild
Hungary” is their story
presenting some never-before-
filmed animal behavior like
dancing deer or wintering
catfish.
KazirangaRuntime : 15 minutes
Country : United States
Directed by : Mariah Wilson
SynopsisKAZIRANGA explores the battle between
poachers and conservationists in
Kaziranga Park, the last stronghold for
the endangered Indian rhino. We see
this world through the eyes of Uttam
Saikia, a local journalist who is trying to
use his community influence to reform
poachers.
THE MAN WHODWARFEDTHE MOUNTAINSRuntime : 59 minutes 7 seconds
Country : India
Directed by : RUCHI SHRIVASTAV
SynopsisSeldom do a man's deeds loom so large that they dwarf the
very mountains from where they emanate. One such person
is Chandi Prasad Bhatt, who has strong claims to being the
first modern Indian environmentalist, and arguably also its
greatest. Bhatt was one of the pioneers of Chipko movement,
adopting non-violence in preventing deforestation in the
Garhwal Himalayas by hugging trees to prevent them from
being felled during the early 70s. Chipko was not just a fight
for protecting forests and environment, but a struggle for
protecting and renewing livelihoods. It was a fight for social
d i g n i t y, a n d f o r p o l i t i c a l e m a n c i p a t i o n .
He is instrumental in putting aforestation and conversation
of natural resources at the centre of the nation's agenda. Our
film seeks to decipher the life, the motivation and works of
Chandi Prasad Bhatt the man who silently changed the
p a r a d i g m o f
e n v i r o n m e n t
activism in India
and described by
R a m c h a n d r a
Guha as one of the
finest Indian alive
today
1918
Documentary Documentary
The Wild WetRuntime : 25 minutes
Country : Australia
Directed by : Joshua Mayo
The planet's most ancient rainforest is dark,
damp and dangerous - a difficult place to
survive! Come on a journey to the far north
eastern corner of Australia where the
descendants of dinosaurs still roam.
Synopsis
Saving Infinity :Return of theSpider MonkeysRuntime : 44 minutes
Country : Netherlands
Directed by : Michael J. Sanderson
A female black-handed spider monkey named Infinity was
stolen from the Guatemalan jungle as a baby. Now it is
time for her to return to the Maya rainforest. After a 7-year
rehabilitation, she is ready to return to the wild. But this
time she is not alone. She joins a makeshift group of other
orphaned monkeys and her newborn baby. Climb into the
canopy l ife of
t h e s e s p i d e r
m o n k e y s , a
perspective never
seen before. This
film shows for the
first time what
happens a f t e r
spider monkeys
are released back
into the wild. Will
Infinity and her
baby survive their
n e w f o u n d
freedom?
Synopsis
UNCHAINEDRuntime : 1 hour 20 minutes
Country : United Kingdom
Directed by : Alex C Rivera
“Unchained” follows the work of Carol Buckley
(Elephant Aid International (EAI)) and her team, to
enhance captive elephant welfare in Nepal, showing by
gentle persuasion and example that there is a 'better
way' to treat elephants in human captivity. Carol's is a
phased, pragmatic approach to change attitudes;
encouraging co-operation, not a confrontation between
Nepalese elephant handlers (mahouts) and their
'essential' elephant assets, upon which the mahouts rely
to sustain themselves in an environment bereft of options.
Carol promotes co-operation between man and elephant by 'positive reinforcement,' not dominance
and cruelty – indeed a 'better way.'
As we should all 'know,' working in co-operation will always yield a better longer-term result for all
parties concerned, engendering mutual respect and loyalty.
On the other hand, dominance, intimidation, threats and violence yields 'results' of a different kind -
breeding contempt, duress, leading ultimately to the mental and physical destruction of the abused
party. The human abuser can also become conflicted with shame and a need for atonement, but with
some sadly lacking any such compassion of course.
Now imagine a young elephant, taken into a life of captivity, chained so its movements are restricted
to the point where the elephant's limbs can become permanently malformed, scarred, injured and
infected. This same elephant's will is drained from repetitive beatings with bars, sticks and metal
'bull hooks' to subjugate the elephant into obedience. Sometimes an abused elephant's eye is hit
and maimed, leading to blindness for life.
All this brutal cruelty and depravity to 'train' an elephant for a potential 60 year life expectancy
subject to man's behest – to provide elephant riding safaris perhaps, or even circus performances as
human 'entertainment,' the subject elephant's back, limbs, senses bombarded and abused daily.
Then, the elephant chained and denied even the temporary respite of freedom of movement.
“Unchained,” tells the story, as Carol and her dedicated team make progress in Nepal to relieve the
captive elephant's immediate suffering one case at a time, pioneering a more humane connection
between man and elephant, shifting the emphasis and acknowledgement towards elephant welfare
and dignified treatment – a noble pursuit that these truly magnificent, intelligent 'gentle giants'
undoubtedly deserve.
“Unchained” needs to be seen. Its message, that through pragmatism and persistence, there is hope
that 'captive' elephants will gain improved respect and welfare. Ultimately, there will be a transition
away from abusive elephant training for 'entertainment,' burdening 'tourists' on their spines, to an
'educated' tourist spectacle of herds of unchained 'captive' elephants to admire without intrusion;
the elephants' mahouts able to look on with pride, dignity and we hope at long last, a deeply felt