contact: kartemquin films an: xan aranda / … · 2018-05-12 · for more informaon and hi‐res...

CONTACT:KARTEMQUINFILMSA"n:XanAranda/[email protected]/(773)290‐9623

www.MilkingTheRhino.org

Formoreinforma:onandhi‐resimages,contact:XanAranda/[email protected]/(773)290‐9623

MILKINGTHERHINOisaco‐producPonofDavidE.Simpson,KartemquinFilms,andtheIndependentTelevisionService(ITVS),withfundingprovidedbytheCorporaPonForPublicBroadcasPng(CPB).

MajorfundingforMILKINGTHERHINOwasprovidedbyTheJohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundaPon.

Viewthetraileratwww.MilkingTheRhino.org/film/php


AselecPonofpress,cast,crew,andproducPonimagesmaybeviewedath"p://www.flickr.com/photos/milkingtherhino/sets

Himbawomenherdingca0le,MarienflussValley,Namibia(Photo:JasonLongo)

Director’s Statement

PHOTO: David E. Simpson (left front) with James Ole Kinyaga (right front) at Il Ngwesi Lodge, Kenya

Ilikewildanimalsasmuchasthenextperson,butwhatdrewmetoMILKING THE RHINO was the people. I wanted to tell the story ofconservaPonfromtheAfricanperspecPve—somethingthat I, forone,hadnever seen. Africa is the world’s conservaPon laboratory. But like mostWesterners Iwas ignorantof thedark sideofAfrica's conservaPonhistory:that it furthered the tourism‐agendas of colonial governments whiledisplacing and alienaPng indigenous people. In post‐colonial Pmes,conservaPonhasbeen turnedon itsheadbyagrowingconsensus that theworld’sremainingwildlifeisdoomedunlesslocalpeoplearegivenasayandastake in preserving it.My goal inMILKING THE RHINOwas to explore thenuancesandcomplexiPesofthisnewpeople‐centeredapproach.

I’m capPvated by the noPon of a community undergoing rapid,radicalchange.TheHimbaandMaasaiareamongtheoldestca"leculturesonearth;herding is in theirDNA.So for the IlNgwesicommunity to retooltheir economyand lifestyle to favor eco‐tourismand conservaPon– at theexpenseofgrassandspaceforca"le– is likeremovingarib. I’mfascinatedby the conPnuing debate within the community, and by the collision ofancientwayswithWesternexpectaPons.

Myhopeisthatthisfilmwillcauseaudiencestorevisetheirimagesof Africa and Africans. Most Westerners see Africa through a haze ofreportageaboutwars,AIDS,poverty,corrupPon.RuralAfrica inparPcular isviewed as backwards and/or romanPcally pure. By weaving stories ofcomplex, mulP‐faceted characters, MILKING THE RHINO breaks withstereotypetopaintruralAfricansasakinasisi–“peoplelikeus.”

‐DavidE.Simpson September,2008



David E. Simpson has craled award‐winning films fortwenty‐five years. As a producer, director and editor heplieshistradeinthebeliefthatawell‐toldstorycanmoveviewers’heartsandmindsregardingcrucial,humanissues.

David co‐produced and directed WHEN BILLY BROKE HISHEAD,adocumentaryaboutdisabilityculturethatwontheSundance Film FesPval’s “Freedom of Expression Award,”along with major prizes at dozens of other fesPvals. Herecentlyco‐producedandeditedFORGIVINGDR.MENGELE,about an Auschwitz survivor’s controversial campaign offorgiveness, which won the 2006 Slamdance Grand JuryPrize for documentaries. David directed REFRIGERATORMOTHERS

Crew

Jeannie R. Magill owned and operated Westwind Safarisand Tours, a safari company specializing in educaPonalsafaris to Kenya. She was a VisiPng Scholar with theProgram of African Studies, Northwestern University; andsheservedasaconsultanttotherenovaPonoftheAfricanwingofChicago’sFieldMuseumofNaturalHistory.Shehaschairedpaneldiscussions for theAfricanTradeAssociaPonCongress, presented numerous educaPonal talks, andpublished many arPcles for travel trade newspapers andmagazines.SherecentlymovedtoSantaFe,NewMexico.

David E. Simpson Producer/Director/Writer/Editor

MOTHERS,aboutageneraPonofmotherswhoraisedauPsPcchildrenundertheshadowofprofessionally‐promotedmother‐blame.Thefilmwontophonorsat theFlorida, Indiana,andSedonafilmfesPvalsandaired on the PBS series P.O.V. David produced and directed Halsted Street, USA, amulP‐award‐winningsnapshot of America through the prismof onemulP‐cultural street.His experimental narraPve,Dante’sDream,are‐workingofDante’scosmology,earnedfive1st‐PlacefesPvalawards.

When not producing‐direcPng his own work, David edits long‐form documentaries. His credits includeKartemquinFilms’recentreleaseTERRAINCOGNITA:MAPPINGSTEMCELLRESEARCH,whichairedonPBS’Independent Lens; the PBS/Kartemquin series THE NEW AMERICANS; the Emmy‐nominated NOVA:MYSTERIOUSCRASHOFFLIGHT201; Frontline/MarianMarzynski’s SHTETL (grandprix,CinemaduReal);KartemquinFilms’5GIRLSandVIETNAMLONGTIMECOMING;andanepisodeofTHEPEOPLE’SCENTURYforBBC/PBS.

Jeannie R. Magill Originator/Co-Producer



RehadDesaihasahistorydegreefromtheUniversityofZimbabweandapostgraduatedegree inTVandfilmproducing. In1996heenteredtheTVandfilmindustryasadirectorandproducer,wherehehasfocusedmuchofhisenergyonhistoricalandsocio‐poliPcalproducPons.His2004documentaryBORNINTOSTRUGGLE,abouthis relaPonship with his father – a leader in the South AfricanliberaPonmovement–wonnumerousawards,includingtheCapeTownWorldCinemaFesPval.RehadispresentlytheSouthAfricanboardmemberforSACOD,aregionalfilmmakersorganizaPon,andisconvenerfortheUnitedProducersIniPaPveinSouthAfrica.

JasonLongograduatedfromIthacaCollege in1994withaBFAinFilm,Photography&theVisualArts.Jason’scameraworkhasbeenshowcased on the PBS programs Frontline, The AmericanExperience,andNOVA,aswellasonTheDiscoveryChannel,TheHistory Channel, TLC, and The NaPonal Geographic Channel.Recent works include RAISING CAIN, a 2‐hour PBS specialexamining the emoPonal lives of adolescent boys, and PATRIOTSDAY, a film about the lives of revoluPonary war re‐enactors inBoston. Currently, Jason is co‐producing and photographingSTANDARDSOFDECENCY,afilmfollowingamentallyretardedmanonMississippi’sdeathrow.

President and founding member of Kartemquin Films, GordonQuinn has beenmaking documentaries for over 40 years. RogerEbert called Kartemquin’s first film HOME FOR LIFE (1966) “anextraordinarilymovingdocumentary.”Gordonhascreatedalegacythat is an inspiraPon for young filmmakers and Kartemquin is ahome where they can make films that invesPgate and criPquesociety.Kartemquin’sbest‐knownfilm,HOOPDREAMS(1994)wasexecuPve produced by Gordon. Recent works include STEVIE(2003), for which Gordon, the film’s ExecuPve Producer andfwhichGordon,whowas thefilm’s execuPveproducer, producerandcine

Crew, continued

Rehad Desai, Co-Producer

Jason Longo, Camera

Gordon Quinn Executive Producer

Cinematographer, won the Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film FesPval, FIVE GIRLS (2001),REFRIGERATORMOTHERS(2002),andVIETNAMLONGTIMECOMING(1999).BroadcastonNBC,thefilmwonaNaPonalEmmyandDirector’sGuildofAmerica’sawardforBestDocumentary. GordonexecuPveproduced THE NEW AMERICANS (2004) and directed the PalesPnian segment of this award winningseven‐hourPBSseries,andrecentlyproducedGOLUB,LATEWORKSARETHECATASTROPHES(2005).

NaPveChicagoanRichardPoolerbrings tohiswork twenty yearsexperience in locaPon and documentary sound recording. Hiscredits include Bob Hercules’ DID THEY BUY IT? (1990), theFrontline series COUNTRY BOYS (2006), and Steve James’ REELPARADISE. Richard is preparing for a producPon trip to Nepal,where he will record sound for a documentary about thetreatmentofuterineprolapseamongremotepopulaPons.

Richard K. Pooler Location Sound Recording



CONTACT:KA

RTEMQUINFILM

SA"n:XanA

randa/Xan@Kartem

quin.com/(773)290‐9623

www.M

ilkingTheRhino.org

Dav

id E

. Sim

pson

Film

ogra

phy

- D

irec

tor

DIRECTOR

MILKINGTHERHINOPRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER/EDITOR2008,DOCUMENTARY,83MIN

REFRIGERATORMOTHERSDIRECTOR/CO‐PRODUCER/EDITOR2002,DOCUMENTARY,54MINGrandJuryPrize,FloridaFilmFesPvalBestDocumentary,SedonaInternaPonalFilmFesPvalBestofShow,IndianaFilmSociety“Indyfest”(Fulllistavailableuponrequest)

HALSTEDSTREET,U.S.A.PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER/EDITOR1999,DOCUMENTARY,57MINGoldMedal‐SocialIssueDocumentary,HoustonInternaPonalFilmFesPvalGrandJuryPrize,Vis.comFilm&VideoFesPvalScreenedatMoMA’sNewDocumentariesSeriesFeaturedonSouthernFilmCircuitTour,2000

WHENBILLYBROKEHISHEAD…ANDOTHERTALESOFWONDERCO‐DIRECTOR/CO‐PRODUCER/EDITOR1994,DOCUMENTARY,57MINFreedomofExpressionAward,SundanceFilmFesPvalDuPont‐ColumbiaAwardforExcellenceinBroadcastJournalismAudienceAward,LeipzigInt’lDocumentary&AnimaPonFesPvalBestJournalisTcFilm,LeipzigInt’lDocumentary&AnimaPonFesPvalBestDocumentary,AtlantaFilmFesPvalFirstPlace‐Documentary,CentralFloridaFilm&VideoFesPvalSilverHugo,ChicagoInternaPonalFilmFesPval(Fulllistavailableuponrequest)

TOMCHICAGOONLOCATIONPRODUCER/DIRECTOR/VIDEOGRAPHER/EDITOR1990,DOCUMENTARY,23MIN

DANTE’SDREAMPRODUCER/DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR1990,EXPERIMENTAL,10MINGrandPrize,CinemaPcArtsFilm&VideoFesPvalFirstPlace‐ExperimentalFilm,CinemaPcArtsFilm&VideoFesPvalJuryAward,NewYorkExposiPonofShortFilm&Video(Fulllistavailableuponrequest)

PARADISOPRODUCER/DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR1990,EXPERIMENTAL,3MIN

WANDERLUSTPRODUCER/DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR1975,EXPERIMENTAL,11MINHonorableMenTon,ChicagoInternaPonalFilmFesPval

[email protected]

Chicago,IllinoisUSA tel/fax:(773)761‐8855

Filmography,pg.1of2

PRODUCER/EDITOR

MAPPINGSTEMCELLRESEARCH:TERRAINCOGNITAEDITOR2007,DOCUMENTARY,83MINOfficialSelecTon,InternaPonalDocumentaryFilmFesPvalAmsterdam

FORGIVINGDR.MENGELECO‐PRODUCER/EDITOR2006,DOCUMENTARY,82MINSpecialJuryPrizeforDocumentary,SlamdanceFilmFesPval

SOMEBODY’SCHILD:THEREDEMPTIONOFRWANDAEDITOR2004,DOCUMENTARY,52MINGrandJuryPrizeforBestDocumentaryShort,NewYorkInternaPonalIndependentFilm&VideoFesPval

THENEWAMERICANSSUPERVISINGEDITOR2004,DOCUMENTARYTELEVISIONSERIES,SEVEN60MINEPISODESGoldHugo,ChicagoInternaPonalTelevisionCompePPonChicagoAward,ChicagoInternaPonalTelevisionAssociaPonBestLimitedSeriesAward,InternaPonalDocumentaryAssociaPonSpecialScreening,InternaPonalDocumentaryFilmFesPvalAmsterdam

5GIRLSCO‐PRODUCER/EDITOR2001,DOCUMENTARY,113MINHenryHamptonAward,CouncilonFoundaPonsFilm/VideoFesPvalSilverPlaque,ChicagoInternaPonalFilm&TelevisionCompePPonOutstandingAchievementAward,Parents’GuidetoChildren’sMedia

VIETNAM–LONGTIMECOMINGSUPERVISINGEDITOR1998,DOCUMENTARY,116MINAudienceAward,AspenFilmFesPvalBestDocumentary,Directors’GuildofAmericaBestDocumentary,TemeculaValleyInternaPonalFilmFesPval(Fulllistavailableuponrequest)

LIVINGINTALLTREESEDITOR/ASSOCIATEPRODUCER1997,TELEVISIONDOCUMENTARY,29MIN

SHTETLEDITOR/ASSOCIATEPRODUCER1996,DOCUMENTARY,172MINGrandPrix,CinémaduRéel,ParisFirstPlace,JerusalemFilmFesPval

SKINDEEPEDITOR/ASSOCIATEPRODUCER1996,TELEVISIONDOCUMENTARY,52MIN

NOVA:MYSTERIOUSCRASHOFFLIGHT201EDITOR/ASSOCIATEPRODUCER1993,TELEVISIONDOCUMENTARY,53MINNominee,NaPonalEmmyAwardExcellenceinMediaAward,NaPonalAeronauPcsandAviaPonAdministraPon Filmography,pg.2of2

KartemquinFilms&IndependentLenspresent

MILKINGTHERHINOAfilmby

DavidE.Simpson

Directed,Produced,Wri_en,andEditedbyDavidE.Simpson

Originator&Co‐ProducerJeannieR.Magill

Execu:veProducerGordonQuinn

Photographedby

JasonLongo

Loca:onSoundRecordingRichardK.Pooler

OriginalMusicMarkBandy Narrator

MunyikomboBukusi

Co‐ProducerRehadDesai

AssociateProducerXanAranda

AssociateEditorLizKaar

Edi:ngConsultantGordonQuinn

TechnicalSupervisionJimMorrisse"e

Addi:onalMusicJoelDiamond

Addi:onalCamera/SoundDavidE.Simpson

Credits

Addi:onalEdi:ngAaronWickenden

ArchivalResearchCarolynFaber

Loca:onGuides/FixersBoasHamboEtoshaKarutjaiuaNancyKireu

Transla:onSilasKimereiManfredTjitjoGersonKapiJohnKasaonaKimberlyEggert

Narra:onRecordingExperimentalSoundStudioLouMalozzi–Engineer

AudioMixMarkBandy

DigitalColorCorrec:onNoloDigitalFilm,LLCMikeMatusek–ColoristBorisSeagraves–EngineerJoeFlanagan‐Producer

TapeCapture&ConversionsGlobalVideo,LLC

Title&GraphicsDizzyGiant,LLCDanSharkeyMa"Sharkey

OnlineEdi:ngMediaProcessGroupSteveHullfish–Editor

Produc:onSupportStaffJennieGambachJusPneNaganZakPiperJoannaRudnick

BookkeepingYvonneAfablePamDiaz

KartemquinInternsMaryAdekoyaDorianAndersonMichaelCarneyMichaelChandlerShanaEastRyanGilbertBryceGoodmanElliotGreenbergerSusanHanrahanKirstenJohnsonAmadiJordan‐WalkerBrendanKirwinJessiKnowlesDanielleKrudyMa"LauterbachAhnnaLeeToddLillethunCharleLucke"MeghanMcGillenFouziaNajarAzizaNgozi‐WalkerNickNummerdorKevinO'DowdChadOwenNealPatelJackieRobinsonDineshSabuTomSalekBrianSchodorfRichSimpsonBeckieStocchewIvanaStolkinerKaPeWeberMa"Wi"merEllenWohlberg

Addi:onalTranscrip:onDorotheeRoyal‐HedingerAshleyBarnesJenniferBrandelJohnKostkaCarolMartori

ArchivalFootageBudgetFilmsFredMacDonaldArchiveLibraryofCongressNaPonalGeographicSmithsonianInsPtuPonSouthAfricanNaPonalFilm&VideoArchiveWPA

Music“Samburu”PerformedbyBomasofKenyaCourtesyofARCMusicProducPonsInternaPonalLtd.

“Litungu(Bukusu)”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsCourtesyofTamashaCorporaPonLimited

“NyaPP–Ndalo‐Manyieny”PerformedbyBomasofKenyaCourtesyofARCMusicProducPonsInternaPonalLtd.

“IlNgwesiLodge”Wri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyCourtesyofMarkBandy

“ChangingCulture”Wri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyFeaturingMichaelLevinCourtesyofMarkBandy

“KimangaChaManga”PerformedbyBomasofKenyaCourtesyofARCMusicProducPonsInternaPonalLtd.

“ChantHimba”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsCourtesyofBudaMusique

“Himba”Composed&PerformedbyJoelDiamondCourtesyofJoelDiamond

“Omoramba”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsCourtesyofBudaMusique

“Conflict”Wri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyFeaturingMichaelLevinonfluteCourtesyofMarkBandy

“MythofWildAfrica”FeaturingMichaelLevinWri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyCourtesyofMarkBandy

“Etono”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsandMarkBandyCourtesyofTamashaCorporaPonLimited

“Ndingo”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsCourtesyofBudaMusique

“Yamala”PerformedbyYunasiCourtesyofYunasi

“Windhoek”Wri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyCourtesyofMarkBandy

“GrowthofConservancies”Wri"en&PerformedbyMarkBandyCourtesyofMarkBandy

“100‐YearLease”Wri"en&PerformedbyOtumaOleKuraruCourtesyofOtumaOleKuraru

“Herdsman”Wri"en&PerformedbyKalahariSurfersCourtesyofWarrickSony

“Aounga”PerformedbyTradiPonalArPstsCourtesyofBudaMusique

ThankYouDianeBillingJerryBlumenthalElizabethChadriIanCraigHelenGichohi,PhDPeterGilbertEmilyHartJeffHeilizerRobertHitchcock,PhDBethIamsKaburuIkunyuaIlNgwesiGroupRanchMargaretJacobsohn,PhDSteveJamesJohnKasaonaJamesOleKinyagaTheIanKorleskiFamilyLewaSafariCampLindbergSafaris

HectorMagome,PhDLamsonMakulekeLivingstonMakulekeMarienflussConservancyStuartMarks,PhDDanielMillerCharlesMwiPKarenNo"BenRomanLeslieSimmerGarthOwen‐SmithTheSanchoSoeiroFamilyInes,Jasha&LeonSommer‐SimpsonCliveStockillAaronWickendenWildernessSafarisR.MichaelWright

DevelopmentAssistanceJulieF.Simpson

Fundingprovidedby:TheJohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundaPonNaPonalEndowmentfortheArtsIllinoisArtsCouncil

Andothers.AcompletelistisavailablefromPBS.

Execu:veProducerforITVSSallyJoFiferMilkingtheRhinoisaco‐producPonofDavidE.Simpson,KartemquinEducaPonalFilmsandtheIndependentTelevisionService(ITVS),withfundingprovidedbytheCorporaPonforPublicBroadcasPng(CPB).

ThisprogramwasproducedbyKartemquinEduca:onalFilms,whichissolelyresponsibleforitscontent


©2008KartemquinEduca:onalFilmsAllRightsReserved.

(EndofCredits)

Background on�

Community-Based Conservation

WhencolonialgovernmentsinAfricawantedtocreateprotectedareastohouseAfrica’simmensediversityoffloraandfauna,theylookedtoAmericafortheirmodel.YellowstoneNaPonalPark,createdin1872,usheredin a preservaPonist paradigm that erected fences between wildlife and humans. Like Yellowstone, thecreaPon of Africa’s parks and preserves involved the forced removal of thousands of indigenous peoplewhose coexistence with wildlife was deemed untenable. This strategy ignored the fact that many of thepeopleevictedhadbeenlivinginecologicalbalancewithwildanimalsformillennia.ButitappealedtoAfricanadministratorswho, liketheirwesterncounterparts,wereparPal tothe“mythofawildAfrica,”onewhereanimalsexistinsplendidisolaPonfromhumaninterference.

While enshrining wildlife in protected areas, most TwenPeth Century African governments bannedsubsistence hunPng by indigenous people, making safari hunPng a socially exclusive acPvity. But animalsrefuse to stay within park boundaries. 70% of Africa’s wildlife lives outside contained areas. As humandevelopmentspreads,sodoconflicts.Elephantsandbuffalodestroycrops;antelopecompetewithca"leforscarcegrazingresources;predatorsa"ackhumansandlivestock,devastaPngcommuniPes.Sufferinglossestolifeand livelihood,butunable to legallyhunt,manyruralAfricanscametoviewwildlife resen{ullyas“theWhiteMan’sproperty.”Bythela"erhalfofthe20thcentury,spurredbythegrowingindependenceofmanyAfrican naPons, conservaPon had become charged with poliPcal conflict. Poaching and social upheavalthreatenedthefutureofwildanimalseveninprotectedareas.

Inthepastthreedecades,anewbrandofthinking‐‐basedontheideathatpeoplewholiveamongstwildlifeareolenideallysuitedtobeitsprotectors‐‐hasturnedconservaPonupsidedown.KnownvariouslyasCBC(Community‐based ConservaPon), CBNRM (Community‐based Natural Resource Management), CBWM(Community‐basedWildlifeManagement),etc.‐‐thevariousstrandsallshareacommonsetofgoals:tograntcommuniPessustainableuseofnaturalresourcesfromwhichtheypreviouslyhadbeenbarred, invest localpeoplewithconservaPondecision‐makingpowers,andrecognizecommuniPes’historicalrightsoftenuretoresourcesandland. Inprogramssupportedbygovernmentandprivatesectorfunding,community‐runeco‐lodges and cultural tourism turn wildlife into an asset for remote communiPes. Sustainable‐use hunPngquotas can bolster the community’s meat intake or be aucPoned off to trophy‐hunPng safari operators.Community game‐guard programs, established to monitor and protect wildlife, provide employment anduPlize animal‐tracking skills innate to the community for generaPons. In these and other ways, ranchers,farmersandpastoralistsarefindingnewreasonstopreserveprotectedareasandconservewildlifeandothernaturalresourcesontheirownlands.

The empty spaces of a naTonal park are an arTfact in Africa. AnaTonalparkspeaksofpeoplenolongerabletocoexistwithanimals— of reservaTons for NaTve Americans in the United States andBantustans in SouthAfrica.What is truly at stake is the loss of ourability to coexist among ourselves, much less with other species.With thedisappearanceofMaasai,BushmanandPygmy tradiTons,andtheestablishmentofparks,wehavemadespacefornaturebutlosttheinTmacyoflivingwithit.Whenyouhavelivedamongpeoplewholivewithnature,itishardtoacceptthatcoexistenceisdead.

‐DavidWestern,conservaPonistandauthor

(BackgroundonCBCconTnuesnextpage)

YetCBCfacesformidablecriPcsandobstacles.TradiPonalpreservaPonistsandsomeanimalrightsadvocateschallenge the noPon of “sustainable uPlizaPon” of wildlife, and warn that endangered species will suffer.Governmentsanddevelopersbalkatcedinglandrightstopastoralpeople.AcademicsandfundersquesPonwhetherCBCislivinguptoitshype:dothebenefitsreallytrickledowntotheaveragehousehold?Howhaswildlifefared?WhataretherealiPesontheground?

The transferof authorityover conservaPon to local people is aprocess fraughtwithdifficulPes. Itwill nothappenquicklyoreasily. Themixed track recordof community‐conservaPon todateprovidesa cauPonarytale.However,fewseriousconservaPonistsadvocatereturningtotheorthodox“fencesandfines”approachthatbredresentmentbetweencommuniPesandtheveryideaofconservaPon.Mostpeopleworkinginthefieldagreethatwhilecommunity‐basedconservaPonfacesdaunPngobstacles,itmustbemadetowork.

Background on CBC, continued

BackgroundonCBC,pg.2of2



Interview with David E. Simpson ByBetsyCass,KartemquinFilmsSummerIntern

Theoriginalinterviewmaybefoundath"p://kartemquin.com/newsle"er/2008/08/milking‐the‐rhino‐interview

Wheredidtheseed,theoriginalidea,forMilkingtheRhinocomefrom?

Theideaforthefilmcametomefrommyco‐producer,JeannieMagill,whohasabackgroundineducaPonsafarisinKenya.IthinkshehadtakenaclassinenvironmentalethicsandbecameawareoftrendsinKenyatowardcommunity‐basedconservaPonanddecidedthatmorepeopleinourWesternworldneededtoknowwhatwasgoingonincommunityconservaPon.WhenshefoundmeIcouldn’tdisagree.Itjuststruckmeasaterrificideaforafilm,becausepeopleinthenorthernhemispherearelargelyunawareofwhatconservaPonmeansnowadays. They’rebasically thinkingof a twenty yearoutofdatemodel, somePmes knownas thefortressmodel,whichmeansyouerectfencesaroundreserves.MostoftheconservaPonworldisnowoftheconsensusthatforwildlifetosurviveandtodowell inameaningfulway,therehastobesomestake in itssurvival.Therehastobesomestakeforpeople,ruralpeople,wholiveamongstthem.

Were there any special prepara9ons you went through in making this film, especially pre‐produc9onaspects?

Yeah, itwaspre"y challenging toget ready for the shoots,because90%of thefilmingwasdoneat reallyremote locaPons,parPcularly inNamibia,wherewewereoffthetypicalsafaripath,up inareasthataren’teasilyaccessed.YouhavetodrivethreedaysfromthecapitalcitytogetwherethesecommuniPesareandelectricity is rare. Youhaveba"eries to charge; youhave tofindmeansof transportaPon.Wehad tofindcamping gear. Therewere stretcheswherewe didn’t have a bed to sleep in, sowe had to be pre"y self‐sufficient.BetweenthatandthesomePmestrickyvisaandfilmingpermitsecuringprocesses, inNamibiainparPcular,therewasalotofpre‐producPon.

Didyouhaveaguidewhenyouwerethere?Whowasresponsiblefororganizingthataspectofit?

Iwasresponsiblefororganizingit,butwithhugehelpfromJeannieandourassociateproducerXanAranda.EarlyonwemadeagoodcontactwithoneNGOthat’sparPallyfeaturedintheNamibianstory.They’recalledIRDNC.They’reagrassroots,ontheground,fieldNGO,sotheyloanedusoneoftheirfieldpeopleandoneoftheirvehiclesandthenwehadourvehicleaswell.Theycouldguideusuptowhereweneededtogoandmake introducPons to people. Usually the person from this organizaPon had business up there, so theyweren’tonlyguides;theybecamecharacters.OurmaincharacterinNamibia,John,wasafieldofficerforthisNGOandisnowtheassistantdirectoroftheplace.Hisworkbecamepartofthestory.

The film has been discussed as “the other side” of a nature documentary, but a lot of the process ofshoo9ngactuallylookedlikeitwasaliElebitsimilar.Haveyoueverdoneanythinglikethatbefore?

No,I’dneverdoneanynatureorwildlifephotography.Therearesomedayswhenwewouldfocusonwildlife,parPcularly inKenya.Outof the50 shooPngdays therewereprobably3days thatwere justdedicated toshooPngwildlife.Butweweren’tquiteequippedthewaythatPlanetEarth is.Wehadatruckandatripodandagreatcameraman.Butformeitwasalwaysthepeoplewhowerethefocus.Itwasthewaythecultureswereundergoingvast, radical transformaPonbecauseof thisnewpotenPal in thewildlifeeconomy.That’swhatwasfascinaPngtome.

Iguess this is fairlyunusual fordocumentary,butwhenyou’rewatchingthefilm,youcanreally feel thepresenceofthecrew.Wasthataconsciousdecision?

(InterviewconTnuesnextpage)

That’satoughquesPon.IwouldsaythatwehadnodeliberateintenPontomakeourselvespartofthestory,nordoIeverwanttopropagatethemyththatthisislifecapturedobjecPvely,becausethere’snosuchthing.Ithinkthatyoucan,tosomeextent,alwayssensethecrew’sandthedirector’srelaPonshiptotheirsubjectintheway that the subject is interacPng: howmuch they’rewilling to open up, how they interactwith thecamera,howtheyaddressthecameraorthepersonstandingnexttoit.

There is some tension in the film, both racial and cultural tension. I waswondering how you built therela9onshipwithyoursubjectsandmadeitclearyouweren’texploi9ngthem.

IthinkthattherelaPonshipisfounded,firstofall,onthefactthatwewerewithpeoplefromanNGOthatwerewell trusted. You can’t find a place on earth, hardly, where film crews haven’t been. And if they’reextremelyremoteplaces,filmcrewsarethatmuchmorea"ractedtothem.SoyouwillolenfindthatpeopleinremoteplaceshavealreadyhadnegaPveexperienceswiththemediaorwithfilmcrews.Wefindourselveshavingtorepairthedamage.Ihopeitalsohastodowiththefactthattheycansensethatwe’regenuinelyinterestedintellingtheirstoryfromtheirperspecPve,whichisalwaystherockbo"omgoalofthefilm:totellwhatcommunityconservaPonfeelslikefromtheruralAfricanperspecPveinsteadofthewhiteconservaPonperspecPve,whichistheviewofeveryotherconservaPonfilmI’veeverseen. Ithinkthatpeoplereallydidsensethatwerespectedandwereinterestedintheirexperience.

Thefilmendsonahopefulnote,withrain(aMeralongdrought),butitdoesn’treallygivemuchofasenseof closure. Did you feel a sense of uncertainty when you were filming about the future of either yoursubjectsorthatsortofgrassrootsconserva9on?

Verymuchso.Therainisamomentarilyupbeatnote,butitcertainlyisn’tmeanttoimplythateverything’sgoing to be all peachy keen fromhere onout. There are a lot quesPons aboutwhether those twoplaces(portrayed in the film) will work. So, it’s by nomeans sure that this is a formula that can be prescribedsuccessfully.Butwhatwedidfeelintermsofasenseofhopefulness,wasthatthereweresomereally,reallycommi"edpeople, likeour twomain characters, Johnand James,whoarepassionateandcommi"edandsmartandaregoingtotryandmakethingsworkforthesecommuniPesinourfilm.Thereare,byextension,alotofotherplaces,commi"edindividualsandcommi"edgrassrootsNGOsthatreallywanttomakethisworkfortherightreasons.Buttherearealotofobstacles.Infact,oneironyintheKenyastoryisthatearlyinthefilmsomebodysays,well,“Whatifwegetadroughtoftourismlikehappenedaler9/11,whenthetourismdriedup?Thenwe’rereallypuwngalloureggsinonebasket.”AnditwastheirownpoliPcalunrestinKenyathatbroughtaboutahorribledroughtoftourism,justearlierlastyear.Tourismjustcompletelydriedupinallof themainstreamsafari circuitsandalso foraplace like ilNgwesi.Theysufferedpre"ybadly, so theyarevulnerabletothat.Butthat’swhatmakesitagreatstorytome.ThesepeoplearetakingagamblecollecPvely,as a community. Gambling may be the wrong word because it implies a certain irresponsibility. They’remakingasortofcalculatedwagerandthey’redoingitinapre"ysophisPcatedmanner.

TheworldpremiereisgoingtobeJohannesburg?

Yeah.It’spremieringatthisveryexciPngfilmfesPval(theTriConPnentalFilmFesPval).It’sactuallypremieringinfourdifferentciPes.It’sgoingfromJo‐burgtoCapeTowntoPretoriatoDurban.We’llalso,whenwe’reinSouthAfrica,bemeePngwithsomepotenPalpartners todistributethefilmthroughoutSouthernAfricaatthecommunitylevel,doingmobilescreeningsandgetitdistributededucaPonallyandmoregrassroots.

Andfinally,whatareyouworkingonnext?

I’msPlltryingtorecuperatefromthis.Insomewaysfinishingthefilmisthebeginningofthenextphase.

(July,2008)

Interview, continued

Interview,pg.2of2

contact: kartemquin films an: xan aranda / … · 2018-05-12 · for more informaon and hi‐res...

Documents