TROPHY
Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau explore the complex intersections between wildlife conservation and big game hunting.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
Special Program:
The New Climate
Sundance Program Description:
Endangered African species like elephants, rhinos, and lions march closer to extinction each year. Their devastating decline is fueled by a global desire to consume and collect these majestic animals. TROPHY investigates the powerhouse businesses of big game hunting, breeding, and wildlife conservation. Through the eyes of impassioned individuals who drive these industries, filmmakers Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau grapple with the complex consequences of imposing economic value on animals. What are the ethical implications of treating animals as commodities? Does breeding, farming, and hunting offer some of the few remaining options to conserve these species before it’s too late?
Shaul Schwarz (NARCO CULTURA, 2013 Sundance Film Festival) has never been a filmmaker who sees the world in black and white. Embracing the gray areas that make for a multifaceted assessment of big game hunting and the industries that support it, TROPHY will spark fierce debate as it digs deeper to examine the state of our planet and the conscience of humanity.
Some Background:
Director/Cinematographer:
Past Sundance docs:
NARCO CULTURA
Schwarz is a photojournalist who made his filmmaking debut at Sundance before going on to work on projects for Discovery, History, CNN, and Time Magazine.
Co-Director/Cinematographer:
This marks Clusiau’s Sundance debut. She is a co-founder of Schwarz’s production company, Reel Peak Films, and has shot his most recent projects.
Producers:
Past Sundance docs:
NARCO CULTURA (associate producer)
As an executive at Parts & Labor, Haber also previously brought several notable narrative projects to Sundance, including THE WITCH (2015), which she co-produced.
Previous Sundance docs:
ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS (2016)
Nottingham is the documentary head of London’s Pulse Films.
Associate Producer:
This is the first Sundance credit for Reel Peak’s Boelitz.
Co-Producer:
Scharfman previously produced Sundance narrative alumni via Parts & Labor, including KEEP THE LIGHTS ON (2012), but this marks his first doc credit at the festival.
Executive Producers:
Past recent Sundance docs:
AUDRIE & DAISY (2016)
NOTES ON BLINDNESS (2016)
NUTS! (2016)
THE EAGLE HUNTRESS (2016)
CENSORED VOICES (2015)
THE HUNTING GROUND (2015)
SEMBENE! (2015)
DREAMCATCHER (2015)
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD (2015)
CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM (2015)
HOT GIRLS WANTED (2015)
IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST (2015)
Impact Films’ Co-Founder/Executive Director Cogan is also an executive producer of four other US Documentary Competition titles this year – DINA, ICARUS, STEP, and UNREST – and the Documentary Premieres title BENDING THE ARC.
Past Sundance docs:
NARCO CULTURA (producer)
Parts & Labor founder Knudsen has produced a number of Sundance narrative alumni, most recently last year’s FRANK & LOLA, LITTLE MEN, and COMPLETE UNKNOWN.
Past Sundance docs:
ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS (producers)
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH (2014)
WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL? (2013)
SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS (2012)
Pulse Films founder/CEO Benski and managing director Ochoa also executive produced the Sundance narrative award-winner THE WITCH.
Combined past Sundance docs:
PRIVATE VIOLENCE (2014)
WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES (2012)
SMASH HIS CAMERA (2010, Tarrant)
GOD GREW TIRED OF US (2006, Tarrant)
Past Sundance docs:
NOTES ON BLINDNESS
THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT (2016)
(T)ERROR (2015, commissioning producer)
THE NOTORIOUS MR BOUT (2014)
PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER (2013)
BBC Storyville’s Townsend also executive produced 2017’s World Cinema Documentary Competition title TOKYO IDOLS.
Past Sundance docs:
THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT
Co-Executive Producers:
Past Sundance docs:
NOTES ON BLINDNESS
AUDRIE & DAISY
SEMBENE!
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
CENSORED VOICES
CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM
WEB JUNKIE (2014)
THE CRASH REEL (2013, co-producer)
Impact Partners VP Raskin also executive produced fellow 2017 Sundance US Documentary Competition titles DINA, STEP, and UNREST.
Past Sundance docs:
THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT
THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK (2007, producer)
Editors:
Efrat previously cut Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize winner SWEET MUD (2007), but this is his first documentary at the festival.
Past Sundance docs:
NARCO CULTURA
Co-founder of the Meerkat Media Collective, Sterrenberg also cut the Academy Award nominated short doc REDEMPTION.
Consulting Editors:
Past Sundance docs:
SEPIDEH (2014, editing consultant)
MANHUNT (2013)
THE TILLMAN STORY (2010)
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED (2008, Documentary Editing Award winner)
GRIZZLY MAN (2005)
Past Sundance docs:
MANHUNT (associate editor)
GRIZZLY MAN (assistant editor)
WE SOLD OUR SOULS FOR ROCK ‘N’ ROLL (2001, assistant editor)
The husband and wife editors have worked on many of Werner Herzog’s past films.
Why You Should Watch:
Schwarz and Clusiau train their cameras on a number of stakeholders, from breeders to trophy hunters, as they parse the unexpected connections between those who would save wild animals and those who wish to shoot them for their personal collections. Positioned as part of this year’s thematic strand, The New Climate, the film is a thought-provoking look at seemingly counterintuitive strategies to protect the natural world.
More Info:
For Sundance screening dates and times, click the film title in the first paragraph.
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