Films Changing the World: Must-see docs exploring new issues and transforming perspectives.
Wok and his young elephant Nong Mai share a life of struggle and begging on the street in gritty Bangkok. Their tender bond reveals a complex coexistence. One day, the opportunity comes to release Nong Mai to the wild. Can an elephant who has only known a life of captivity survive in the forest? This provocative and bittersweet film is a surprising view into the paradoxes of elephants in captivity, dismantling common beliefs about the age-old relationship between human and elephant. Despite imminent threats to the future of Asian elephants, the opportunity for Nong Mai's survival may be a happy ending that offers hope for all.
Director Patricia Sims will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
Critical praise:
- Times Colonist - "One of the film’s strongest assets is its narration by Shatner, who also narrated the duo’s shorter 2012 documentary Return to the Forest."