YPS Meet | July 28, Sat | 6:30 PM | State Youth Centre

Elephants were once revered as the living God Ganesha. Now they are called the “Elephant Menace”.  Blame the growth of agriculture, particularly coffee. The award winning film “Elephants in the Coffee” finds out how this transformation has happened.

The award-winning film, Elephants in the Coffee that speaks on the relationship of elephants and humans in the wilderness, in the agricultural lands of India and in captivity has received widespread acclaim around the world. The documentary is an extraordinary look at a never-before-seen subject produced by an internationally renowned​ photographer and a hugely respected journalist. We have looked at the most pragmatic and balanced approach to this very complex challenge that is prevalent across with many diverse communities.

The film was produced by Dr. Thomas Grant and Mr. D K Bhaskar. The film has earned many awards from various forums.

• Best Documentary – DC South Asian Film Festival – September 2017
• Best Documentary – Black Cat Picture Show – August 2017
• Best Documentary – Doc Sunback Film Festival – June 2017
• Finalist – Matsalu Nature Film Festival – July 2017
• Finalist – International Wildlife Film Festival, April 2017
• Finalist – Roundglass Samsara Film Festival, October 2017
• Finalist – Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, USA, October 2017
• Finalist – South Indie Film Festival, Mississippi, USA, November 2017
• ​Award of Merit – Accolade Global Film Competition – May 2017
• Semi-Finalist – Atlanta Docu Fest – July 2017

The documentary was widely acclaimed by the press:

• http://kcur.org/post/michael-smith-elephants-coffee#stream/0
• https://wtop.com/food-restaurant/2017/10/your-coffee-habit-could-be-harming-elephants/
•  http://www.khabar.com/magazine/features/issues-coffee-and-conflict
• http://kcur.org/post/lenexa-filmmaker-shows-elephants-and-coffee-drinking-humans-complicated-relationship#stream/0
  
• https://ladyfreethinker.org/coffee-harming-elephants-india/
  
• http://www.indiawest.com/entertainment/global/is-your-cup-of-coffee-killing-elephants-new-documentary-examines/article_b2d57fc4-8c45-11e7-af6a-8bba0eb37250.html
  
• https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2017/08/31/elephants-in-coffee-428454/
  
• http://metrospirit.com/god-became-menace/
• http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/2017-08-15/black-cat-picture-show-screen-films-across-globe
• http://kcbx.org/post/there-elephant-your-coffee#stream/0
• http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/sunday-read/dont-make-a-killing/articleshow/58436457.cms?
• https://canesconnect.gsw.edu/event/1360245

Mr. Bhaskar is an ​education innovator, visual storyteller ​and author based in Kansas City. He is the author of the​ ​award winning book​ “The Fragile Forest: Inside Brazilian Amazonia”. Educated as an engineer, Mr. Bhaskar is a Fulbright Specialist, ​International Fellow of the Explorers Club and a finalist for the Rolex Award for Social Entrepreneurship.​
​
Mr. Bhaskar has won numerous awards for visual storytelling and his work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic books, Lonely Planet, Rolling Stone, BBC, UNESCO​ ​
and many others.​ He is the founder of the Augusta International Photo Festival and CLIC Abroad Foundation, US based organization that leads international student exchanges between India and the United States. Bhaskar is passionate about elephants and lifelong supporter of its conservation efforts. In addition, Bhaskar is a big fan of LEGO Creator and Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films. Bhaskar’s next book, “The Story of Balarama: An Elephant’s Journey”​ published by Pepper Tree Press is scheduled for release in July 2018.

Dr. Thomas Grant has won more than 10 USA awards for his reporting, including two duPont-Columbia Awards, often referred to as the Pulitzer’s of broadcasting. He worked for 30 years as a journalist in television and newspapers before earning his Ph.D. at the University of Idaho and beginning a second career in education.

A native of Tonasket, Wash., Grant earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University in Pullman and a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City.

He was the Mike Wallace Fellow for Investigative Reporting at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1997-98. His research at the Center for ETHICS at the University of Idaho compared methods of teaching media ethics to college students. At Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, he has led study abroad trips to India, Rome and France. He has taken students to meet the Dalai Lama, film the capture of wild elephants and celebrate Palm Sunday mass with the Pope.

All are welcome to watch this wonderful film.