Trophy - The Film

[Royal27]

Good stuff!

Glad it all went well.

 

[Red Leg]

Had to be in Lake Charles with my mother, but would have loved to have been there for Friday's showing. Really proud of you for being part of the Q&A's. Takes real courage to walk into the line of fire at each of these, and our curious little blue city could have provided you a host of potential sharp shooters. Congratulations and well done.

 

[wesheltonj]

So far, the crickets are all quiet in Austin. Shocking, maybe after March 14th showing the chirping will begin.

 

[Philip Glass]

Second screening was still good with a couple antis asking questions. First one tried to ask a gotcha Bible question (googling on her phone!) due to the fact that I quote Genesis in the movie about man having dominion over the animals. I didn't let her get far with that one! Then there was one lady that was just ranting and the moderator passed her by. Others were genuine questions and MANY people came up to me afterwards commending me in my part in the film. I even had a number of non/anti hunters come up to me and say they respected me very much and we had nice conversations. For some reason they all wanted to hug me afterwards!
I may attend a few more festivals since this one went well.
All credit to the film makers for putting together a piece of work that even though it gives the antis a voice it has a way of disarming the anti hunters with our compassion and reason.
The film will be distributed by Orchard films likely in August. They are hoping for 150 cities which is very ambitious for a documentary!
Regards,
Philip

 

[BRICKBURN]

When you get a DVD copy, do send me one. I doubt it will be making it into any theatres up here.

 

[MMAL]

Philip,
Thank you for holding the torch during this part of the fight for our rights. I truly appreciate your effort and work.

 

[Philip Glass]

When you get a DVD copy, do send me one. I doubt it will be making it into any theatres up here.

I am told that right after the theater run it will be available on iTunes for download.
Philip

 

[cpr0312]

Very nice to hear @Philip Glass ! Glad the weekend went well and that it will be further released!

 

[siml]

Fantastic Philip, glad it's working.

 

[Roan]

I wont be outdone by some anti's here are some hugs from hunters...




Ps. Thanks for keeping hunters names high out there.

 

[wesheltonj]

So far, no reviews from SXSW.

 

[rinehart0050]

When you get a DVD copy, do send me one. I doubt it will be making it into any theatres up here.

I am told that right after the theater run it will be available on iTunes for download.
Philip

I'm hoping that Netflix picks up the rights to this pretty quickly too.

 

[Philip Glass]

I'm hoping that Netflix picks up the rights to this pretty quickly too.

Yes that will be its final resting place after all the other outlets. Nothing can compare with the theater experience however, especially for this film!
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

So far, no reviews from SXSW.

I saw one but it was more of a comment than a review. I do not expect big reviews like from Sundance but hopefully there will be some thoughtful reviews to come.
Thanks,
Philip

 

[mrpoindexter]

Yes that will be its final resting place after all the other outlets. Nothing can compare with the theater experience however, especially for this film!
Regards,
Philip

Well, if nobody is able to see it in an actual theater and wants the experience, I will do a screening in my home cinema when it is available. I have done several Hollywood pre-release film screenings for a couple producers and would be happy to host anybody from AH that wanted to see it in a high end theater if they are willing to make the drive to Fresno, CA. I can promise you it will be a good experience. My system is the .500 Nitro Express Double Rifle of home theaters.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

The first screening went very well. The Q&A had all nice questions for us and I was treated very well! We will see how the next screening goes.
Good to see Jerome and Mrs. J there!
Regards
Philip

Philip, Glad we had a chance to attend the screening of Trophy with you. I think it will accomplish what it set out to do which is to start a conversation in this country about hunting, which currently is a very polarizing subject. This documentary which Philip was a large part of has been purchased by CNN and will tour the country hitting theaters in late summer/early fall and later hit the streaming services and tv (we'll keep you posted when we know more).

Four years ago Philip bravely decided to put himself out there to be featured in this documentary for the mainstream media as a hunter and conservationist, which as we all know is not an easy decision. He shares his very personal experience as a hunter at home with his son and then on safari in Africa hunting Elephant and Lion amongst other species. The film gives a voice to the main points trying to be made from both sides and ends up, in my opinion, making a great case for how much hunting creates value for the animals and conservation. It's certainly not a one sided story and it shows the good and the ugly as it tries to tackle a complicated highly emotional subject. What I liked is that is presents the subject in way that you get to decide for yourself. I personally commend Philip on his choice to be a voice for our hunting community, he certainly did an excellent job at representing hunters and I hope that the general population will keep an open mind and hopefully learn something about the value of hunting.

I hope that when it comes out that you will take the opportunity to go and see it.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Here are some press images.

 

[wesheltonj]

I see a review was picked up. Most on John Hume, and some hunting, but Mr Glass does have a photo of himself at SXSW in the story.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-sxsw-trophy-idUSKBN16M318

John Hume, the worlds largest rhino breeder walks among his rhinos at Buffalo Dream Ranch, North West Province, South Africa in this November 2016 handout photo. Shaul Schwarz / Reel Peak Films/Handout via REUTERS

'Trophy' film tackles African hunting and conservation

By Jon Herskovitz | AUSTIN, TEXAS
The new documentary "Trophy" opens in a sprawling corner of South Africa run by John Hume, who is praised by some as protecting the continent's rhinos from extinction and vilified by others for trying to turn the animals into cash spinners.

"Trophy," shown this week at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, examines how efforts to commercialize wild animals and encourage big-game hunting in Africa can generate funds for conservation, while also arousing criticism.

"We want the viewer to go through a roller coaster of being challenged and being confused," filmmaker Shaul Schwarz said in an interview, adding there were no easy answers for protecting Africa's big game.

"Trophy" looks at people like Hume, the world's largest private rhino breeder, who has spent large sums to protect the animals from poachers seeking to kill them for their horns.

Hume trims the tips of the horns from his 1,500 rhinos every two years, building a stockpile worth tens of millions of dollars that he wants to sell. He is lobbying to make the trade legal and use proceeds to protect more rhinos.

Some conservationists criticize him for wanting to turn a wild animal into a commodity, similar to the treatment of livestock.

Rhino horns, which can grow back, sell for prices higher than gold in parts of Asia where there is a belief, unfounded by science, that they can cure cancer.

Due to Asian demand, rhino poaching in South Africa surged to a record 1,215 animals in 2014. South Africa has some 20,000 rhinos, or about 80 percent of the world's rhino population.

The film also asks questions about the role of game resorts sustained by hunting that can restore African ecosystems. Tourists on photo safaris may spend a few hundred dollars a night to stay at an African game lodge while a hunter can be paying several thousand dollars a night to kill game.

Data is scarce on how much money hunting generates across Africa. But in South Africa, the Environment Ministry has said the hunting industry is worth about 6.2 billion rand ($485 million) a year.

A license to hunt a lion in southern Africa can go for about $50,000. International agencies regulate some of the hunts and direct that proceeds be used to support conservation efforts in impoverished parts of the continent.

During filming, hunting became a global issue after an American trophy hunter in 2015 killed a lion named "Cecil," provoking an international outcry.

After that, Schwarz and fellow filmmaker Christina Clusiau lost access to some sources who feared backlash.

"It is hard to wrap your head around the idea that to conserve something, sometimes we may have to kill," Clusiau said.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

http://www.voanews.com/a/film-looks-at-idea-of-hunting-animals-to-save-them-in-africa/3768396.html


Film Looks at Idea of Hunting Animals to Save Them in Africa

AUSTIN, TEXAS —
The new documentary Trophy opens in a sprawling corner of South Africa run by John Hume, who is praised by some as protecting the continent’s rhinos from extinction and vilified by others for trying to turn the animals into cash spinners.

Trophy, shown this week at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, examines how efforts to commercialize wild animals and encourage big-game hunting in Africa can generate funds for conservation, while also arousing criticism.

“We want the viewer to go through a roller coaster of being challenged and being confused,” filmmaker Shaul Schwarz said in an interview, adding there were no easy answers for protecting Africa’s big game.

How to protect wildlife

Trophy looks at people like Hume, the world’s largest private rhino breeder, who has spent large sums to protect the animals from poachers seeking to kill them for their horns.

Hume trims the tips of the horns from his 1,500 rhinos every two years, building a stockpile worth tens of millions of dollars that he wants to sell. He is lobbying to make the trade legal and use proceeds to protect more rhinos.

Some conservationists criticize him for wanting to turn a wild animal into a commodity, similar to the treatment of livestock.

Rhino horns, which can grow back, sell for prices higher than gold in parts of Asia where there is a belief, unfounded by science, that they can cure cancer.

Because of Asian demand, rhino poaching in South Africa surged to a record 1,215 animals in 2014. South Africa has about 20,000 rhinos, or about 80 percent of the world’s rhino population.

Game resorts and hunting

The film also asks questions about the role of game resorts sustained by hunting that can restore African ecosystems.

Tourists on photo safaris may spend a few hundred dollars a night to stay at an African game lodge, while a hunter can be paying several thousand dollars a night to kill game.

Data is scarce on how much money hunting generates across Africa. But in South Africa, the Environment Ministry has said the hunting industry is worth about 6.2 billion rand ($485 million) a year.

A license to hunt a lion in southern Africa can go for about $50,000. International agencies regulate some of the hunts and direct that proceeds be used to support conservation efforts in impoverished parts of the continent.

During filming, hunting became a global issue after an American trophy hunter in 2015 killed a lion named Cecil, provoking an international outcry.

After that, Schwarz and fellow filmmaker Christina Clusiau lost access to some sources who feared backlash.

“It is hard to wrap your head around the idea that to conserve something, sometimes we may have to kill,” Clusiau said.

 

[wesheltonj]

VOA picks up the Reuters story.