In the Kenyan bush, a small-time ivory dealer fights to stay on top while forces mobilise to destroy his trade. When he propositions his younger cousin, a conflicted wildlife ranger who hasn’t been paid in months, they both see a possible lifeline.
ABOUT
synopsis
In the Kenyan bush, a small-time ivory dealer fights to stay on top while forces mobilise to destroy his trade. When he propositions his younger cousin, a conflicted wildlife ranger who hasn’t been paid in months, they both see a possible lifeline. The plummeting elephant population in Africa has captured the attention of the world, and as the government cracks down, both poachers and rangers face their own existential crises—what is the value of elephant life relative to human life? And can we understand these hunters who will risk death, arrest, and the moral outrage of the world to provide for their families?
FILMMAKER
Jon Kasbe
Jon Kasbe is a documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn. In 2015, he won an Emmy for his short film Heartbeats of Fiji. His shorts have screened at festivals around the world and have received recognition by the Webbys, SXSW, Doc NYC, Vimeo and the White House News Photographers Association. In 2017, he earned a Sundance Institute grant in support of his first feature, When Lambs Become Lions (Mountainfilm 2018).
REVIEWS
'Jon Kasbe's diamond-hard but humane documentary is most impressive in its equally divided sympathies between hunter, hunted and guardian.'
Guy Lodge, Variety
'Powerful and provocative' ★★★★
Time Out
'A revelation' ★★★★
Evening Standard
'Remarkable' ★★★★
The Observer
'Gorgeously photographed and edited, the film has the look and pacing of a thriller, albeit one with near-Shakespearean dramatic dimensions.'
The Hollywood Reporter
'Kasbe spent years among these people, and his movie is an intense 74-minute distillation of his dedication.'
The New York Times
IF YOU LOVED WHEN LAMBS BECOME LIONS