Film Selection
When Lambs become Lions
In a Kenyan town bordering a wildlife conservation area, two men try to hold onto their increasingly fragile status quo. A small-time ivory dealer fights to stay on top while forces mobilise to destroy his trade. When he turns to 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, the poachers face their own existential crisis. For them, conservationists are not only winning their campaign to value the life of an elephant over its ivory, but over the life of humans as well. Who are these hunters who will risk death, arrest and the moral outrage of the world to provide for their families?
The film is nominated for 'Rights Now!' Award
Born to an Australian mother and an Indian father, Jon Kasbe spent most of his childhood traveling extensively. Growing up in this environment instilled in him a deep curiosity and desire to explore the world. He soon found documentary filmmaking to be a way to immerse himself in his travels and share discoveries with others. At age 10, he bought his first camera in order to interview children in war-torn Serbia, where his parents were volunteering. Now at 27, his short films have been screened around the world, garnering an Emmy award, two Emmy nominations, and recognition from the Webbys, SXSW, Hot Docs, Vimeo Staff Picks, and the White House News Photographers Association. When Lambs Become Lions, which he filmed, directed and produced, is his feature-length film debut.
Death by Design
Consumers love – and live on – their smartphones, tablets and laptops. A cascade of new devices pours endlessly into the market, promising even better communication, non-stop entertainment and instant information. The numbers are staggering. By 2020, four billion people will have a personal computer. Five billion will own a mobile phone. But this revolution has a dark side, hidden from most consumers. In an investigation that spans the globe, filmmaker Sue Williams investigates the underbelly of the electronics industry and reveals how even the smallest devices have deadly environmental and health costs.
On March 26, through a case study featuring the film Death By Design, Caitlin Boyle, the founder of film distribution firm Film Sprout, will show how grassroots screening initiatives and citizen-driven actions like petition-writing campaigns can create new opportunities for documentaries seeking to make a change in the world.
Sue Williams has produced and directed five critically acclaimed, feature documentaries about China for national PBS broadcast. Contemporary China features prominently in her most recent film, Death by Design. Sue also directed two highly praised biographies on Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary Pickford for the PBS series, American Experience. Her films have been broadcast in more than 25 countries and appeared in festivals around the world; they have won numerous awards, including the 2016 The Boston Globe Filmmakers Fund Award.
Show time & place
Luck,
1, Hrushevsky Ave.
