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Want to Write a Guest Post for Women and ...Guest Post: Filming Elephant Landmine Survivors Walk on Prostheses is No Small Feat
Not getting an answer she liked, in 1993 Soraida opened the World’s First Asian Elephant Hospital in Lampang, Thailand. Little did she know that her hospital would develop a niche for treating elephant landmine survivors.
By comparison, I did not know I would be an “elephant person” until I met Soraida and two elephant landmine survivors, Motala and Baby Mosha, at her Elephant Hospital in 2007. I was in Thailand filming a theatre company, but one day I stumbled into FAE’s Elephant Hospital with my video camera. Soraida welcomed me, talked with me on camera, and then took me to meet Mosha and Motala. At that point, they had saved their lives, but they did not know if they could help them walk again.
Upon my return home from the two-month trip, I began logging all the footage from FAE’s Elephant Hospital and I started to weep. The elephants were so brave and trusting after humans had mutilated them by planting landmines. I found it unacceptable to live in a world where endangered species, humans—really any sentient being—step on landmines. I knew I would never be able to write a check big enough to solve the problem, but, being a filmmaker, I could make a film about it to start the conversation and inspire people to join the cause.
Over the next three years, “The Eyes of Thailand” documentary began to take shape. In August 2009, Soraida invited me to film the Prostheses Foundation’s attempt to build Mosha and Motala prosthetic limbs. This was a very ambitious undertaking because the Prostheses Foundation didn’t know whether it would be strong enough to hold their weight, and Soraida didn’t know whether the elephants would accept it. In the end, both elephants accepted their artificial legs and I left in August 2009 thinking I had a happy ending to the story.
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Wow, what's with this really poorly written, dumbed down, college post? "ain't going
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The shows that are cited made have been created by women, but look how many women were hired to
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This is wonderfully articulated -- thanks for reposting, Melissa!
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Even show's like ABC's hit series, "Once Upon A Time," one of my favorites that
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5 Comments
Tory | April 24, 2012 3:44 PM
I have been to FAE. Soraida is Mother Theresa of the Elephants. She sings/talks to them and they respond. The kindness of the staff and the efforts of the elephants are accomplishments that are hard won. Congrats to Windy for her perseverance.
Scooter | April 24, 2012 1:34 PM
Just want to say to Windy, Tim and the entire "The Eyes of Thailand" team you should be proud this is very special film. I look forward to meeting you all at the premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival... Scooter :-)
KimmyM | April 24, 2012 1:28 PM
OMG!!!!! Beautiful.... we need more films like this to be made. I just bought my tickets for the World Premiere.
MaryVan | April 24, 2012 1:25 PM
Wow...way to go! I can't to see this film, looks amazing. Way to filmmakers!
AnotherPlace | April 24, 2012 11:57 AM
Great article. I didn't realise this was happening, and it's really heartening to see how much effort people are putting in there to help those elephants. Good to know there are still people out there who really care and are actively seeking out solutions to problems. Made me feel a little less jaded today. Thank you.