Chandani: The Daughter of the Elephant Whisperer

Director(s): Arne Birkenstock
Country: Germany, Sri Lanka
Language: In English and Hindi (w/ English subtitles)
Documentary | 2010 | 87 min
Genre: Drama

Sixteen-year-old Chandani has a burning desire: She wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a mahout, a traditional elephant caretaker in Sri Lanka. This is customarily a job only for men; all the other mahouts around her doubt her abilities and oppose her plans. This is a small story with much large implications: If Chandani succeeds, she will be the first female mahout ever. Some of the most powerful scenes are the ones when nothing is spoken.