The Elephant, the Emperor and the Butterfly Tree
(2003)
Winner of the coveted Golden Panda at Wildscreen 2004, The Elephant, the Emperor and the Butterfly Tree is an intimate and absorbing portrayal of the complex ecosystem that exists around Africa's mopane woodland.
Set to an award-winning score and with an African narrator, Sello Maake, the film is an intriguing account of the impact each individual species has on its environment. Exploring the fragile relationship between the elephant, the emperor moth and the mopane tree, stunning cinematography brings to life the eternal triangle of destruction, struggle and rebirth.
From an original idea by Neil Curry, who co-produced the film with Alastair MacEwen and Sean Morris of the world-renowned Oxford Scientific Films, with scientific advice from Professor Clarke H. Scholtz
Impressive technical photography by award-winning cameraman Alastair MacEwen examines the wealth of creatures that rely on this important habitat. Broadcast as part of the BBC's The Natural World strand, this fifty minute programme details the interdependence of everything from resin bees to the local human population.
An intriguing celebration of a diverse and extensive ecosystem, The Elephant, the Emperor and the Butterfly Tree is beautifully filmed to the backdrop of Botswana's spectacular scenery.
Sean Morris
