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Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story

Directed by Ashley Bell

  • “Clear-eyed...direct...emotionally charged...has something to say and says it affectively.”
    NY Times
  • “Deeply affecting... won't leave a dry eye in the house.”
    Hollywood Reporter
  • “Gut wrenching yet ultimately optimistic...Love and Bananas packs an emotional punch.”
    Film Journal

Elephant rescues in Thailand are rare, unpredictable and often life threatening. After waiting over 2 years, actor/director Ashley Bell and a team of elephant rescuers led by world renowned Asian elephant conservationist and TIME Magazine’s Hero of Asia, Sangdeaun Lek Chailert, embark on a daring mission to rescue Noi Na, a 70-year old captive, partially blind trekking elephant and bring her 500 miles across Thailand to freedom. African elephants are slaughtered for their ivory, but sadly the plight of the Asian Elephant has been completely overlooked even though they are the elephant we are most familiar with in zoos, circuses and elephant rides.

Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story exposes the cruel secret that every Asian elephant has had to endure to become a service animal: a process known as Pajan, aka The Crush Box.   As the documentary unfolds the audience learns that there’s no need to abuse an elephant to control it, you can motivate an elephant to follow your lead simply with love and bananas. Love & Bananas will hopefully provide a solution to keeping this species alive. The film ignites a sense of hope, while exposing the plight of Asian elephants and the people who work tirelessly to save them.

Lek Chailert was born 1961 in a small hill tribe village of Baan Lao, two hours north of Chiang Mai in Thailand. Her grandfather was a traditional shaman healer who not only helped people of his community but also on occasion the village’s sick or injured animals. Her grandfather’s work allowed Lek sometimes participate in this animal healing. It is here she discovered that all animals strive to live well and Lek became determined to work in the field of animal welfare.

With a love and respect for her country’s national symbol, and the knowledge that they were becoming endangered, Lek began advocating for the rights and welfare of Asian elephants. In an industry steeped in tradition, advocating for a change in the treatment of wild Asian elephants has not been an easy battle for Lek. However, with hard work and determination her voice is now internationally recognized. In addition to several documentaries produced by National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet and the BBC, Lek has also won many honorary awards and her efforts are known the world over.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton invited Lek to Washington, DC in 2010 to honor her as one of six Women Heroes of Global Conservation. But, the accolades do not end there. Lek was named one of Time Magazine’s Heroes of Asia for her work in conservation in 2005 and the Ford Foundation’s “Hero of the Planet” in 2001.

For more info please visit: http://loveandbananas.com/
"Love & Bananas in Vital Thrills" In The Press
Vital Thrills: Love & Bananas to be released in October on Sundance NowMORE +
The Independent: Elephant training process known as ‘the crush’ revealed in rarely-seen footageMORE +
Slo Film Fest: Anyone who loves elephants (and honestly, how could you not?) is bound to love this deeply moving documentary by actor/director Ashley Bell. She teams up with Lek Chailert, an amazing conservationist in Thailand, and together they do the near impossible – rescue an abused and elderly elephant from a life of captivity in the Thai tourist trade.MORE +
The Guardian: “Love and Bananas” will leave you feeling hopeful and informed.MORE +
Love & Bananas wins Audience Award at Green film FestivalMORE +
Build Series: ASHLEY BELL, LEK CHAILERT, JOHN MCCARTHY & RODDY TABATABAI SPEAK ON THEIR DOCUMENTARY, 'LOVE & BANANAS'MORE +
The Human Society: Love & Bananas won a Genesis Award for Outstanding Documentary FilmMORE +
Forbes: 'Love and Bananas': A Celebrity Finds Her Voice In Elephants' PlightMORE +
Deadline: Ashley Bell talks conservation following Awardsline screening of LOVE & BANANASMORE +
Santa Barbara Independent on Love & Bananas: "Extraordinary"MORE +
Sydney Morning Herald on LOVE & BANANAS: "An important film that will fill you with admiration." MORE +
Good Day LA: Love & Bananas Director Ashley Bell Inteviewed MORE +
SF Gate: "4/4 Stars... Heartwarming... Emotional and Effective"MORE +
Audio Boom: Ashley Bell Interviewed about LOVE & BANANASMORE +
Leonard Maltin: "LOVE & BANANAS is captivating"MORE +
USA Today: Ashley Bell discusses her film LOVE & BANANASMORE +
LA Times on LOVE & BANANAS: "It's impossible to walk away unchanged."MORE +
First Row Features: You Will Never Forget LOVE & BANANASMORE +
CNN: Ashley Bell LOVE & BANANAS OpEd + Rare Glimpse at an Elephant HerdMORE +
Spirituality and Practice on LOVE & BANANAS: "Extraordinary... touched our hearts and it will move you as well." MORE +
SALON: Interview with Lek Chailert and Ashley Bell about LOVE & BANANASMORE +
NY Post: Documentary LOVE AND BANANAS exposes horrific elephant torture in CambodiaMORE +
Geeks of Doom: "Love and Bananas is a wonderful documentary that brings to light a serious issue throughout the world."MORE +
Forbes: "[Love and Bananas] has the potential to be lifechanging"MORE +
Hollywood Reporter: "Deeply affecting... Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story is guaranteed to not leave a dry eye in the house."MORE +
Village Voice on Love and Bananas: "Bell captures the tension of this harrowing trip"MORE +
CNN on Love and Bananas: Interview with Lek Chailert and Ashley BellMORE +
NYTimes on Love & Bananas: "Informative and emotionally charged."MORE +
Hollywood Times: "Love and Bananas is a heartwarming and hopeful film that exposes the plight of Asian elephants and the people who work tirelessly to save them."MORE +
Film Journal on Love and Bananas: "Gut wrenching yet ultimately optimistic...Love and Bananas packs an emotional punch"MORE +
Film Threat: 22 Theaters to Screen Love and Bananas for Earth Day MORE +
Variety: Love and Bananas Hits 22 Theaters Across US MORE +
One Green Planet on Love and Bananas: "A moving film exposing the plight of Asian elephants and the people dedicated to saving the species"MORE +

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