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One Lucky Elephant
Sixteen years ago circus producer David Balding adopted an orphaned African baby elephant named Flora, who quickly becomes a star in the circus. When life in her eyes began to fade, Balding understood that Flora belongs with other elephants, not smiling for the audience. He retires Flora from life under the big tent and begins the daunting task of returning Flora to her natural habitat in Africa. This proves to be emotionally problematic, because worry about Flora’s safety from poaching and survival become clear.
Using news footage and personal interviews, the 10 years in the making documentary One Lucky Elephant follows this difficult journey of Balding and Flora. The audience is taken on Balding’s emotional quest to do what is right for Flora, even though it is difficult for him to part ways. As an emotional look at the bonds created through life, we begin to find these moments in our own lives when we must provide for and release at the same time. It is a quest that tests the strength of their relationship and their love for one another, a heartfelt story through and through.
The documentary won the Animal Content in Entertainment Award Grant and has received support from The Human Society of the United States. It was also recommended as a summer movie to see by television host Ellen DeGeneres, who wrote. “I love documentaries and there are a lot of great ones coming out this summer. I can’t wait to see One Lucky Elephant.”
One Lucky Elephant, directed by Lisa Leeman and produced by Cristina Colissimo has been picked up to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in the future as part of a monthly documentary film club. The documentary has already been shown at numerous film festivals and will make its United States theatrical premiere on June 8.