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One Lucky Elephant

Play trailer Poster for One Lucky Elephant 2009 1h 24m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Sixteen years after adopting Flora, a 10,000-pound elephant that is the main attraction of a St. Louis circus, trainer David Balding resolves to return his beloved beast to a more natural home. This documentary follows Balding as he investigates suitable new habitats, journeying from Botswana to Miami and Tennessee. Though he eventually finds a sanctuary for the elephant, all is not well, as the new owners exercise their rights to keep Balding away from Flora.

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 08/18/2011
3/4
Simple enough to delight a child and complex enough to baffle a philosopher. Go to Full Review Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times 06/23/2011
3.5/5
How affected are these animals by the physical pain of being trained or by childhood trauma? Can they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder? What can trigger that if they can? All these questions are raised and, quite appropriately, left open. Go to Full Review Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly 06/22/2011
A-
What begins as a simple man-and-his-pachyderm love story ends up encompassing unexpected levels of trauma and sacrifice. Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens 11/16/2019
Posing thought provoking questions about exotic animals and captivity, as well as man's imprint on the animal world, One Lucky Elephant will bring a tear to your eye, a smile to your heart, and awaken your own conscience. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
3/4
You'll find no truer or more empathetic documentary on the big screen this year. Go to Full Review Brent Simon Shockya.com 06/21/2011
A-
A heartwarming and thought-provoking documentary, spanning almost a full decade, that tacitly asks tough questions about whether wild animals can ever be expected to be truly content in captivity. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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05/26/2013 Very sad in a way, to see the after effects of what capture and culling of elephants in the wild does. I am glad that Flora has gone on to a happy life, but it is a pity it is at such sad costs. Feel sorry for her previous owner, but did feel the man was in denial about her misbehaviour. See more 12/27/2012 Touching and thought-provoking story that examines humans' relations with circus animals, and where they go when it's time for retirement. See more 11/14/2012 A well done documentry. It doesn't change my opinion of people with exotic pets. See more 09/05/2012 A deeply personal and emotional documentary about a man and his elephant, One Lucky Elephant outlines the relationship developed between a human and an animal all the while providing enough background on the captivity and management of elephants. See more 05/25/2012 I liked it but it was kind of heart breaking. Any movie about circus animals can be hard to watch. He was a well cared for animal however....so not heartbreaking in that sense. See more 01/04/2012 This show highlights the exact reason I boycott circuses...mainly because of the elephants. At least this man treated her really well and recognized she needed a different life. I hope this film raises awareness of the plight of wild animals who need a better life of freedom, if not in the wild again, then to live out their lives in a sanctuary of some sort. See more Read all reviews
One Lucky Elephant

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Lisa Leeman

Director

Cristina Colissimo

Screenwriter

Cristina Colissimo

Writer

Cristina Colissimo

Producer

Jordana Glick-Franzheim

Producer

Lizzie Friedman

Executive Producer

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One Lucky Elephant

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sixteen years after adopting Flora, a 10,000-pound elephant that is the main attraction of a St. Louis circus, trainer David Balding resolves to return his beloved beast to a more natural home. This documentary follows Balding as he investigates suitable new habitats, journeying from Botswana to Miami and Tennessee. Though he eventually finds a sanctuary for the elephant, all is not well, as the new owners exercise their rights to keep Balding away from Flora.
Director
Lisa Leeman
Producer
Cristina Colissimo, Jordana Glick-Franzheim
Screenwriter
Cristina Colissimo, Cristina Colissimo
Production Co
Sandbar Pictures, Crossover Productions
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 24m