Stealing giants

‘STEALING GIANTS’ takes an unsparing look at the world of animal smuggling, where it is even possible to fly live elephants around on a grand scale.

Animal activist and filmmaker Karl Ammann has been documenting the illegal wildlife trade for decades. Accompanied by director Laurin Merz, the investigative journey takes him to Namibia, from where 22 elephants are captured and transported by cargo plane to zoos in the United Arab Emirates. Ammann and Merz also film the illegal elephant trade from Laos to China: the gigantic animals march across the green border to their doom. In the Chinese zoos, the actually proud elephants play football, darts and xylophone; an illegal business with no moral boundaries.

‘STEALING GIANTS’ shows this cruel demimonde in which corruption prevails and anything is possible with money. At the same time, the grey giants are given a voice and the audience is left with a trace of hope.