Aug 08 2024 to Aug 08 2024 6:30 p.m.

EVENT HAS ENDED

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Documentary | 2024 | 52 minutes | English | India

Authors: Prajna Chowta & Philippe Gautier

Direction & Photography: Philippe Gautier

Executive Producer: Charlotte Uzu

Line Producer: Yoann Dhenin

Camera Operator: Michel Esquirol

Editing: Giuliano Papacchioli

Sound Designer: Jean Mallet

Colour Correction: Jean Coudsi

Music: Jean Mallet, Trio-Xenakis

Co-production: Bayerischer Rundfunk, Les Films d’ici, ElephanTTrackinG

In the 19th century, European navigators exploring the Andaman Islands—an archipelago of nearly 200 islands in the Indian Ocean, situated between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea—were surprised to find no large mammals common to South Asia, particularly elephants. This was puzzling since elephants were present on other Indian Ocean islands like Sumatra, Borneo, and Sri Lanka, which share a similar geological history and were accessible from the continent during the Pleistocene glaciations. Adding to the mystery, the Andamans are home to primitive tribes who likely reached the islands by land during the last Ice Age. So, why were elephants absent?

Ironically, starting in 1858, the British colonial administration imported elephants by ship from Burma and India to the Andamans for use in the timber extraction industry, where these animals were essential. During the 20th century, some of these elephants escaped or were abandoned, finding refuge on deserted islands where they returned to the wild. This phenomenon is unique in the history of the species, which is otherwise suffering from habitat loss across Asia. How did these elephants reach the islands? Did they swim across the sea as commonly believed? This film investigates the enigmatic history of the Andaman elephants.

A screening of the documentary will be followed by a conversation with the Directors, Philippe Gautier & Prajna Chowta and a Q&A with the audience.

Speakers

Prajna Chowta Author & Conservationist

Prajna Chowta, born in 1970 in Accra, Ghana, is an Indian conservationist, wildlife researcher, writer, and filmmaker specializing in the Asian elephant. She is the co-founder and managing trustee of the Aane Mane Foundation, established in Bangalore, India, in 2000. Chowta graduated in 1993 from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, with a Masters in Anthropology. Over the past three decades, she has immersed herself in elephant camps and mahout communities across India. She is one of the few women mahouts in Asia and has focused on the migration of Asian elephants along the Indo-Myanmar border, the traditional techniques of mahouts, and the management of elephants in their natural habitats. In 2011, she developed ElephanTTrackinG, a GPS-based remote monitoring system for elephants, which is now used in India, Bhutan, Thailand, and Nepal. Recently, Chowta has been researching the history of the Andaman elephants.

Philippe Gautier Author & Director

Philippe Gautier, born in Brittany in 1960, began his career as an assistant director from 1978 to 1995, working on various productions including feature films, documentaries, and commercials across France, Europe, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, and Russia. His collaboration with John Boorman in 1993 introduced him to India, where he eventually settled. Gautier has written and directed numerous documentaries and feature films for European and North American productions, gaining extensive experience filming throughout the Indian subcontinent and developing a profound understanding of Indian culture. His notable works include “HATHI” (1998), “The Old Elephant Route” (2000), “Elephas Maximus” (2004), “Pondicherry” (2006), and “Elephant Blues” (2014).