The ivory from one bull elephant can be sold for thirty-thousand American dollars on the black market. Farmers, that are struggling to survive harsh life conditions are racing with the international terrorists for the same prize.
The government established a private surveillance units that are deployed twice a day in order to suppress the poaching.
From one point of view, it is a terrible atrocity to kill an animal such as elephant for personal gain. Even more disgusting fact is that ivory is also being poached in order to finance weapons for wars. But from the point of view of an African farmer that is coping with a terrible life conditions, where basic supplies are in scarce, like food and water, ivory presents an only way to survive. Elephants are even destroying their crops.
The farmer, main character (Brian Ogola) has to find a way to earn money for the medicine his sick child needs. He had an opportunity with high risk that he is willing to steal ivory from the poachers. While on the way home, the woman flying a chopper (Davina Leonard), a member of surveillance unit recognizes him as a poacher and calls for backup. What happens next is a question of action and reaction, morale and humanity.
The poachers are the ones that should be judged without mercy.
Are his actions right, there is a lot of space to think about morale of the farmers deeds. Here can come to the clash of opinions. Fighters for animals’ rights would probably judge him but realistically way of thinking would be that he actually did the right thing. Any other parent would act the same way as he did. On the other hand, he didn’t actually kill an elephant, he just stole the ivory.
Director of this short film (Tom Whitworth) did an amazing job, video quality even in the low light ambience is perfect. The acting of the main characters, Brian Ogola and Davina Leonard was amazing and they delivered everything that was necessary to the public.
A problem that also represents a big question, were the actions of the poachers when they came to his village too much? Ending has a mysterious tone, that leaves the public in wonder. Where is he gone? Is his wife really killed? What will happen with his children or with him?
This short film is raising awareness of the elephant extinction. We could not stop the extinction of many species, can we finally become more aware of the problem and start acting more seriously before it’s too late. It looks like the surveillance patrols are not enough, and another approach has to be executed in order to provide a better protection of the elephants. We should start fighting the cause, not just prevent the deed itself.
We are sleeping for too long. It is mandatory to wake ourselves up and taking care not to fall asleep again.
At the current rate of elephant hunting, all of the elephants will extinct by 2025.