Film -- The Elephant Whisperers

J and I keep a running list of movies and shows we might want to watch, and as you'd expect of an aspirational project, it's dominated by the critically acclaimed, the artsy, and the culturally essential. (I note that Freddy Got Fingered was recently added as part of the first category—not that we actually categorize—due to an A. O. Scott retrospective, so we are not trying to be complete snobs.)

But sometimes you just want to watch something short, beautiful, and chill, and The Elephant Whisperers succeeds on all three counts.

Short: it clocks in at 39 minutes.

Beautiful: I was struck by the often casually presented natural beauty of the location. There are some "breathtaking" shots—sweeping jungle vistas from on high, that sort of thing—but for the most part the camerawork feels unobtrusive and natural, and the lush richness of the environment comes through. Also: elephants!

Chill: there's no big drama or conflict or anything like that, just a simply presented story of an indigenous Tamil couple whose passion is raising young orphaned elephants.

The basic deal is, due to industrialization and other human activity, elephants in this region are increasingly feeling compelled to seek water and food from villages, involving longer journeys and greater risk. Often calves become separated—despite elephants' well known focus on caring for their young as a herd—and at great risk of death.

The film does not go into detail, but it is clear that successfully raising an orphaned calf to adulthood is no easy feat, and one that typically fails. But this film shows how Bomman and Bellie, the middle-aged protagonists, successfully raise two calves—the second being slowly and carefully integrated into the life of the first—and in the process form a closer bond with each other, eventually getting married. It seems their activities are part of a government conservation program, which sadly takes away the older elephant, Raghu, once he is somewhat grown.

The film touches on the religious significance of elephants—the couple view them as manifestations of a god—but focuses on the simple passion the couple have for ensuring that the elephants are well-fed, socialized, have ample playtime, and are living their best lives.