From The Petersburg Pilot:
Bakos film wins four Awards of Excellence
June 21, 2018
Filmmaker Kelly Bakos of Petersburg, Alaska has won four prestigious Awards of Excellence from The Accolade Global Film Competition. The awards were given for her feature length documentary film, A HERD OF ORPHANS, in four categories:
Award of Excellence: Nature/Environment/Wildlife
Award of Excellence: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery
Award of Excellence: Contemporary Issues/Awareness Raising
Award of Excellence: Women Filmmakers
Bakos says this about winning the awards, “I am pleased that in addition to honoring large-budget films, The Accolade Global Film Competition also recognizes independent filmmakers like me who craft documentary films about important global issues. In awarding A HERD OF ORPHANS, The Accolade is helping bring attention to the little-known impact that ivory poaching has on baby African elephants who are orphaned when their herds are slaughtered.“
A HERD OF ORPHANS is a heartwarming look into the lives of Zambia’s orphaned elephants and the struggles they face as they come of age in an unnatural setting. When poachers kill adult elephants for their tusks, young calves are by their side and witness the traumatizing events. Unable to survive without the care of a mother or herd, they are left to die in the wild. Those who are lucky to be saved are raised by the extraordinary people at the Elephant Orphanage Project, who dedicate their lives to protecting and raising them in a surrogate herd. As the young elephants overcome the tragic loss of their herds and learn to fend for themselves, they are reintegrated back into the wild.
Bakos adds, “My goal is to illuminate the impacts of poaching on baby elephants and connect people with these charismatic orphans so they will be aware of the vast consequences of their purchasing decisions and role in the ivory trade. I hope the film will ultimately generate well-deserved support for the Elephant Orphanage Project and other programs operated by Game Rangers International, which is taking a holistic approach to conservation in Zambia and doing amazing work to combat ivory poaching and protect the natural resources through community and education programs.”
A HERD OF ORPHANS joins the ranks of other 2018. Accolade winners including the documentary films Living in the Future’s Past presented by Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and Planet Earth II—Grasslands narrated by the legendary Emmy, BAFTA and Peabody winner Sir David Attenborough.
The competition attracts thousands of entrants each year, and high-profile winners of this internationally respected award include seasoned Hollywood producer/director veterans Ridley Scott and Ron Howard. Rick Prickett, who chairs The Accolade Global Film Competition, had this to say about the latest winners, “The Accolade is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. The Accolade helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries. The goal of The Accolade is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”
A test version of A HERD OF ORPHANS was screened in Petersburg earlier this year and Bakos finished editing it after receiving audience feedback. The final cut will be screened again in Petersburg this fall. Screening dates will be posted online at www.faunevoyage.com and facebook.com/faunevoyage.