When Lambs Become Lions

Asan is roaming the Kenyan savannah with his rifle, carefully observing a herd of passing elephants. As a ranger, he is on the hunt for poachers who secure their livelihood with illegal ivory trade. When Asan's wife gives birth to their third child and the pay for his work as a gamekeeper fails to come through for several months, Asan finds himself under increasing financial pressure. In his growing despair, he turns to his cousin "X": ironically, a very successful ivory trader... The rapidly declining stock of elephants in Africa has caught global attention. Increasingly harsh government policies, however, are putting pressure on poachers. Over the course of three years, director Jon Kasbe followed his film’s protagonists, gaining their fullest confidence. The result is an extraordinarily complex and visually captivating perspective on the backgrounds and motivations of poachers who risk their lives hunting and defying public moral outrage in order to provide for their families. ZFF Talk about the film: Global Values – Stay Vocal