Following the overwhelming response to this movie, filmed in Tsavo East National Park and the Greater Amboseli ecosystem, the website: www.elephant.co.ke was launched where both language versions can be watched, free of cost until midnight on Monday, 20 April 2020.
Kenyans’ shared their experiences and reactions to the movie on social media – thanking Citizen TV for showing the film and expressing their pride and love for Kenyan wildlife.
The Elephant Queen is narrated in English, by Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Boy who Harnessed the Wind and The Lion King). It tells a stirring and intimate story about the most majestic and sentient animals in Africa.
This family-friendly film stars the ultimate leading lady, Athena, an elephant matriarch who will do everything in her power to protect her family when they are forced to leave their waterhole.
And the story is not only about elephants but of the animals that live at their toenail height…a tardy goose, a tenacious dung beetle, and a determined tortoise to name a few. This story is not just entertaining, it is one of survival, family and coming home.
So excited were viewers, that the hashtag #TheElephantQueen was trending in the afternoon. “Heartfelt. The love, the unity, the leadership. Worth watching. I loved the fighting beetles”, tweeted one viewer as the audience picked their favorite in the film.
Much was written about Kenya’s natural beauty and wildlife “This was just amazing. Nature is very therapeutic. Thanks for this wonderful gift to our families during this Easter.”
Kenya Film Classification Board, CEO Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, who shared the countdown to the national broadcast on Twitter said at the end of the movie: “A film about wildlife that exemplifies the essential human virtues: compassion and humanity. How timely, coming at a time when the world needs love and friendship!”
Others commented “It’s been a while since local content felt this good. This one here is a masterpiece!”
The film is directed by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone with Etienne Oliff as Assistant Director and produced by Victoria Stone and Lucinda Englehart. The Kiswahili version is narrated by Fred Obondo and the Maa version by John Kisimir and Amos Kipeen.
The Elephant Queen once again inspired audiences – this time in Kenya. The film has in the past months, made friends for Kenya wherever she has traveled – from the top international film festivals including Toronto and Sundance to cinema screens across the US.
The film, which celebrates Kenya’s extraordinary wildlife and biodiversity, won the Cinema for Peace Award and the UN World Wildlife Day Biodiversity Award and was awarded Best Cinematography at DOC NYC.
