Review of Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story (2018) by Michael M — 23 Apr 2018

Lek Chailert answered questions at the screening of Love & Bananas at the Frida Theater in Santa Ana showing how well this movie captures her focus on saving both elephants and the people who depend upon them.

The movie opens with a frightening view of the deforested landscape of Cambodia and asks how would you like to be an elephant down there, only to show people and elephants logging a remaining patch of trees. The reality of elephants and people bound in a destructive embrace could not be more clear.

This sets up the remarkable transformation of the owner of an elephant trekking camp from abuser to savior, which we watch arise naturally as elephants and people share a walk through the beauty of Thailand's forest.

Then comes the harrowing 24 hour trip across Thailand to bring an aged 8000 pound elephant Noi Na to Lek's Elephant Nature Park. The camera shares the continual efforts to care for Noi Na as well as the people, traffic, cities and countryside of Thailand. The spare narration by Ashley Bell leaves unstated the obvious connection between society and nature.

The personal commitment and optimism of Lek and Ashley and her team is infectious and welcome, so much so that when she finally says that all an elephant needs is love and bananas, it is both surprising and touching. See this movie you will be glad you did.