From the producers of last year’s Turtle: The Incredible Journey comes a stunning true-life story set in the magnificent Sri Lankan tropics. Chandani dreams of following in the footsteps of her father and becoming the first female mahout — a guardian of wild elephants. When Chandani is given a baby elephant, she works with him every day, memorizing the guiding techniques and mixing the herbal remedies that have been passed down from generation to generation, inscribed by her great-great grandfather in a book of dried palm leaves. But despite her obvious skill, she is chastised for performing a job considered suited only for men. Chandani is a moving story of ambition, strained traditions, and familial bonds — with astounding footage of Sri Lankan wildlife and close-ups of elephants being trained and cared for (including an adorable sequence of an elephant playing soccer). When she is given permission to participate in the Perahera — a ceremonial procession of fire-dancers, acrobats, and elaborately costumed elephants — Chandani will get the chance to prove whether a girl can, indeed, learn the artistry and patience of a great mahout.
