It was a memorable night for pachyderms this Sunday, as The Elephant Whisperers took home an Oscar for best documentary short. Due to the Dolby Theatre’s long-standing ban on elephants in attendance, the star of the film was unable to see the victory in “person,” but director Kartiki Gonsalves was on hand to accept the award. “Thank you to the Academy for recognizing this film,” she said in her acceptance speech. “To my motherland, India.”
Set in Mudumalai National Park, The Elephant Whisperers follows Bomman and Bellie, a South Indian couple who take on the daunting task of caring for an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu. The unlikely trio forge an unbreakable bond as they work to help the baby recover and survive.
The film also serves as a document of the gorgeous natural landscape of Mudumalai, and the connection between the land and its people. The Elephant Whisperers is the first Indian-produced film to win an Academy Award.
You can watch The Elephant Whisperers on Netflix right now.
