Production is now under way on “The Elephant Odyssey,” a major wildlife documentary film that will release in Imax theaters next year.
The film, directed by Alice Gu, chronicles the highly unusual trek by a herd of elephants in China that began in early 2020. As the group diverted from their usual habitat and marched over 1,000 km (600 miles) across remote Yunnan Province they attracted global attention, including live-streamed drone footage. They raided grain stores, indulged in impromptu village feasts and messy mud fights, and even gave birth while on the road.
Reasons for the herd’s 18-month trek are unclear, with wildlife experts variously pointing to climate change and the failure of conservation efforts.
“The Elephant Odyssey” is directed by Gu (“The Donut King”), with Clair Popkin (“Free Solo,” “Wild Life”) serving as the director of photography. It is filmed with Imax-certified cameras and will feature exclusive footage of the elephants’ journey through an unprecedented partnership with China Review Studio of China International Communications Group (CICG).
The film is co-produced by Imax, Beach House Pictures, and China Review Studio, associated with the Foreign Languages Press and Lucent Pictures. Imax’s John Turner and Daniel Manwaring, Beach House’s Donovan Chan and Jocelyn Little, and China Review Studio’s Chen Fang will executive produce.
“The 18-month journey of the Yunnan elephants at the height of the pandemic was a hopeful antidote to the lockdowns many of us were enduring,” said John Turner, head of documentaries for Imax. “We wanted to know more about these animals and why it happened. Together with Beach House Pictures, China Review Studio and director Alice Gu, this will be an immersive wildlife documentary like no other.”
“This is a prime example of the premium Asia-to-the-World collaborations that Beach House Pictures excel at and we are proud to be making our first Imax film with China Review Studio,” said Donovan Chan, creative director of Beach House Pictures, “I have no doubt that the incredible elephants and people we will meet and the stunning places we will uncover will surprise and delight audiences, and inspire us to do more to repair and protect our fragile relationship with Mother Nature.”
“Telling great stories has always been a core part of Imax’s DNA, and we’re thrilled to bring this fascinating story from China to the world,” said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China.
“The documentary film ‘The Elephant Odyssey’ is a deep exploration that goes beyond the fascinating journey of the Asian elephants that moved north and south, uncovering previously unknown, touching stories,” said Chen Fang, director of China Review Studio, CICG.
Founded 18 years ago by Chan and MD Jocelyn Little, Beach House Pictures is headquartered in Singapore and is backed by Canada’s Blue Ant Media. Its multi-genre output now span scripted, factual, unscripted and branded programming.
Imax has its largest fleet of giant screen cinemas in China. In March this year, it had 794 in operation and 200 more in backlog.
Since its establishment in 2012, China Review Studio has produced over 100 documentaries with Chinese themes covering ecology, science, technology and culture.
