Love & Bananas
Directed by Ashley Bell
USA | 2018 | Documentary | 77 min
Film Source: Abramorama
Sponsor: Jane Kramer
In partnership with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
*Followed by Q&A with Director Bell
According to the director, the film is suitable for, and of interest to, ages 11+
Also showing Friday, October 26 at 7:00PM
Ashley Bell and a team of elephant rescuers led by Asian elephant conservationist Lek Chailert embark on a daring 48-hour mission across Thailand to rescue a 70-year-old captive Asian elephant and lead it to freedom. African elephants are slaughtered for their ivory, but the plight of the Asian elephant has been overlooked, even though they are the elephant we are most familiar with in zoos, circuses and elephant rides. Love & Bananas exposes the cruel secret that every Asian elephant has had to endure to become a service animal: a process called “Pajan,” aka the “crush box.” Love & Bananas aims to ignite a new way of thinking about this species and shows what can be done to prevent their extinction.
“You don’t need a bull hook to control an elephant. You can guide an elephant with love … and bananas.” ~ Lek Chailert, Thai conservationist and founder of Save Elephant Foundation. Interview with the director HERE