A ferocious kill on the Serengeti.. warnings about endangered species… These cliches of nature documentaries ignore a key landscape feature: villagers just offcamera, who navigate the dangers and costs of living with wildlife. The Maasai of Kenya and Namibia’s Himba two of Earth’s oldest cattle cultures are in the midst of upheaval. After a century of ‘white man conservation,’ which displaced them and fueled resentment towards wildlife, they are vying to share the wildlife-tourism pie. Charting the collision of ancient ways with Western expectations, ‘Milking the Rhino’ tells intimate, hopeful and heartbreaking stories of people facing deep cultural change.
David E. Simpson
David E. Simpson has crafted award-winning films for twenty-five years as a producer, director and editor. David co-produced and directed ‘When Billy Broke His Head’ (1995), co-produced and edited ‘Forgiving Dr. Mengele’ which won the 2006 Slamdance Grand Jury Prize for documentaries. David directed ‘Refrigerator Mothers’ in 2002 and produced and directed ‘Halsted Street’ (1998.). His experimental narrative, ‘Dante’s Dream’ earned five 1st-Place festival awards.
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Milking the Rhino
USA, Namibia, Kenya
2008, 83', color, video
Directed by:
David E. Simpson
Cinematography:
Jason Longo
Edited by:
David E. Simpson
Music:
Mark Bandy, Joel Diamond
Producer:
David E. Simpson
Produced by:
Kartemquin Films
