When Lambs Become Lions

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When Lambs Become Lions

Released Nov 22, 2019

1h 20m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

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32 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally.

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Critics Consensus

When Lambs Become Lions uses one family's difficult choices to untangle a complicated -- and enraging -- struggle over animal rights in Africa.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

The material, however, has been artfully arranged into an epic personality clash between a swaggering poacher, simply known as X, and his nemesis, a sympathetic wildlife ranger called Asan.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 3, 2020

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Fewer fags and more facts would have made When Lambs Become Lions perfect. Still, its non-preachy stance is a revelation.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 24, 2020

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Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

Kasbe makes the most of his extraordinary access by presenting the film vérité style, preferring to immerse the audience in his characters' lives to better make the case for each of their choices.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 15, 2020

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

The beauty of the film itself can't mask the horrifying nature of everything that's unfolding.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 27, 2020

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Edward Porter

Sunday Times (UK)

The story is so cleanly shaped that you suspect a bit of tweaking, but it's certainly fascinating.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 2, 2020

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Steven Sheehan

The Digital Fix

The grey area between who is right and wrong feels like it has grown ten-fold by the end of the film.

Rated: 8/10

Feb 13, 2020

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Audience Member

It tells the two sides of the poachers in Africa. However, it focus very little in the animals and the ecological drama. Also, the way to tell is not the most efficiente. Between 2.5 and 3 stars.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

oh well.. the way I see it the world is our original cinema and its habitats are the real actors. The fact that those people who were filmed are real, made this documentary full of life for me. It's very intense, thought provoking and a prove that our world is not black and white. I just wish that the ivory buyers' perspective on the other end was included on the film as well. In any way, I look forward to watch more of the director's work in the future.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

I thought this was a very good documentary. It's amazing how much these poachers opened to the filmmakers.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/21/19

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Jon Kasbe

Director

Daniel Eilemberg

Executive Producer

Erick Douat

Executive Producer

Innbo Shim

Producer

Tom Yellin

Producer

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When Lambs Become Lions: Trailer 1

1:46

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Synopsis

In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally.

Director: Jon Kasbe
Producer: Innbo Shim, Tom Yellin
Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 21, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.3K
Runtime: 1h 20m

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