Documentary "SUSI. An elephant in the room"

SUSI An elephant in the room is a transmedia documentary that takes the name of Susi, the elephant who's been imprisoned in the Zoo of Barcelona since 2002. With her history, we will enter into the portrait of the international social fight to achieve the transformation of zoos around the world, with the aim of leaving behind the current model - based on animal exploitation and economic interests - and make a more sustainable, educational, ethical and respectful with animals model.

We are developing this project because we believe in this goal. For us, this debate requires technological and audiovisual tools that promote the awareness of animal rights and the participation of citizens. For this reason we started this crowdfunding, in order to finance the production of the pilot shortfilm of a documentary series about the problem with animal captivity, framed in a transmedia documentary project, in which you can be an active member and take part of the community of Susi's protectors.

It's been 10 years from the first campaign to demand freedom for Susi. The first campaign had a big support from people. Although the campaign did not achieve its goal, it had an important media impact and it was the origin of animal rights defense movement that fights for the Zoo's transformation in Barcelona. The revolution for animal welfare has already started. Do you want to join us?

The Story of Susi

Behind the bars of zoos there are many sad stories about animals. One of them is the story of Susi, an elephant from the Zoo of Barcelona. Although she has not enjoyed a good life, she can change the history of all those animals living in captivity, marking a before and after in the way we understand zoos of the world.

Born in the 70s, SUSI was snatched from her family and she was exhibited in a circus. Then, she was moved to Valencia’s Zoo, and later she was locked up in Barcelona’s zoo since 2002. After seeing her partner and matriarch, The elephant Alice, die of euthanasia, susi’s health began to deteriorate.

Her suffering and loneliness aroused the outrage of the NGO Libera! that at the end of 2008 made a media campaign to move the elephant to a sanctuary so that she could enjoy a better life in a condition of semi-freedom.

This campaign had the support of a lot of people, including José Saramago, who wrote an emotive
letter to Susi.

"Taking care of Susi, giving her a more dignified end of life that seeing her in a very small place where she having to walk on that hell floor that for her is cement ... Who we should appeal to? To the management of the zoo? To the City Hall? To the Generalitat?"

Despite the impact, the zoo's authorities did not allow this transfer. "We could not take Susi, but we will return for other animals" was the motto that inspired the new ZOO XXI's campaign, a platform that wants to change the paradigm of the zoo around the world, backed by thousands of followers.

From her prison in barcelona’s Zoo, Susi obtained an answer for the animal movement, the fight for the real change in zoos around the world to a more sustainable, educational and ethical model.

The goal of Susi, an elephant in the room isn’t just invite you to take part in the change of zoos; is also start a necessary debate so that in 2019 the authorities of Barcelona’s Zoo allow the transfer of Susi to a Sanctuary and refuge of elephants that is planned to be built in the south of France.

With this, Susi will be able to live with dignity the last part of her life in freedom. A right that every animal should be able to exercise. Will you help us to make it possible?

The fight for a new zoo

It's a fact that the relationship between humans and animals is changing. Everyday we are more people around the world who know that the traditional zoo is an obsolete model without empathy. It’s necessary work to transform the zoos of the world into places that really help animals. Instead of treating them as if they were merchandise.

In Barcelona there’s a strong legislative initiative of ZOO XXI campaign, and in Latin America they are working to change the paradigm. But there’s a lot of hidden interests behind the current model.

Susi, an elephant in the room wants to promote this initiatives, make visible this problem, and create among everybody the zoo of the future.

Our documentary project

We have proposed this documentary project based on a transmedia design, that is, diversifying the narration in different formats in order to live and participate in different experiences determined by the characteristics of each medium. The project consists of 3 main platforms: an interactive documentary, a series of 4 documentary short films (designed for television and for screenings with a talk) and finally, an educational app with video game format, designed for young audiences.

We started to develop this project a year ago and in this time, we have had the privilege of participating successfully in several internationally renowned festivals and markets:

• In November 2018 we were selected by the International Environmental Film Festival as project Work In Progress featured, and invited to launch this crowdfunding campaign at the closing of the festival.

• In October 2018 we were invited to the Veggie World, the largest vegan lifestyle fair in Spain, for the environmental values and committed to the animal welfare of the project.

• In August 2018, we were awarded the first prize in MEDIAMORFOSIS, the most important transmedia event in Latin America.

• In April 2018, we were one of the 4 projects selected to participate in the Interactive Pitch of the festival DOCS Barcelona.

• In December 2017, we obtained the first prize of the V Concurso de Guió Transmèdia, organized by Guionistes Associats de Catalunya and the Mercat Audiovisual de Catalunya (MAC)

Our team

ANA LUZ SANZ. Director

Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1985. Photographer and documentary director since 2005. In 2008, she creates AL AIRE in Buenos Aires, a creative and production academy focused on audiovisual content. In 2013 he directed Puja, a transmedia documentary on obstetric violence, which was broadcast by the Ministry of National Culture and declared of Cultural Interest in Buenos Aires, winning several festivals and international awards. Ana Luz is an activist for animal welfare.

ALBERT BAQUERO. Productor

Executive producer, director and founding partner of the production company Camille Zonca, he is a strong advocate of the audiovisual as a tool for social transformation. With more than 15 years of experience in the television, documentary and film sectors of our country, he has focused especially on the production and realization of content of social interest and linked to the world of education: documentaries No t'aturis (Don't Stop, co-produced with Televisión de Catalunya) and Transformar Educant; the docuseries La ciutat de les bèsties (betevé) and Al Pot Petit (Xarxa de Televisions Locals). In the cinematographic field, he has been the executive producer of the film Sotabosc ( Undergrowth , the second feature film by director David Gutiérrez Camps.) He has also participated in more than 30 promotional campaigns for companies , institutions and cultural entities Currently Albert leads the executive production of Oh My Goig, transmedia fiction series on teen sex education ( and not so teenagers), for betevé and preparing the production of a new sustainable cooking program for the same network.

Rosana Echarri

Coordinator of Cuenco, audiovisual cooperative based in Argentina. Politologist, manager specializing in social, cultural and environmental projects, has extensive experience in national, provincial, municipal and multilateral international credit agencies. It has carried out multiple actions for foundations, cooperatives and other civil society organizations. She is currently a communication consultant in the sanitation process of the most polluted river in Argentina, the Matanza Riachuelo and co-directs the cooperative of communication bowl focused on content that promotes global change.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

Al Aire is a creative and producing Academy based in Buenos Aires and Barcelona. Al Aire develops audiovisual content for companies and public institutions. In 2014 and 2015, the Al Aire Academy won the World Photography Organization (WPO) award. In 2015 they produced the transmedia documentary Puja, which was declared of national interest by the government of Buenos Aires. I participate as a finalist in ¨Mediamorfosis¨. Winners of the "FOMECA" award for the miniseries and the "A movie neighborhood" award given by INCAA with the short film "Un Tango Maldito".
@alaireprodu
facebook.com/ALAIREPROD/

Camille Zonca is a production company based in Barcelona, ​​specializing in documentaries, films and TV formats of educational interest, especially aimed at young audiences and committed to values ​​of social transformation. Our portfolio includes the transmedia series * Oh My Goig * - format of sexual education for adolescents, produced by betevé, 2017/18 -, the feature length documentary * Do not Stop * (* No t'aturis , co-produced with TVC-TV3, 2016); the independent feature film * Undergrowth * ( Sotabosc , * Sotobosque *, 2018, portrait of African immigration in rural Gironès, directed by David Gutiérrez Camps) and 2 documentary series for television , one of them with an animal theme ( La ciutat de les bèsties *, betevé, 2014).

The director and director of photography of Camille Zonca is Aïda Torrent, responsible for the cinematography of the short film of SUSI.

To what will we allocate your contributions?

We have started this campaign of crowdfunding to get the money needed to finance the first of the 4 documentary short films we want to produce. The first episode will be focused on Susi and the problematic of captivity.

The production expenses will be used to pay for the script, the salary of the filming and assembly team, the soundtrack, the expenses related to the filming and the international trips to carry out the interviews; as well as the expenses that derive from the promotion and the presence of the documentary in film festivals and television markets, among other costs.

Schedule

If we achieve the objective of the crowdfunding campaign, we calculate start pre-production at the beginning of 2019, carry out filming in February and March and finish post-production in April. The delivery of the rewards for the patrons would coincide with the month of May approximately with the event about the most important documentary sector in the city, DOCS Barcelona.

About the rewards

In the column on the right you will find detailed the ** multiple rewards that we offer you **, so you can choose the one you like and share them with other people who want to be a sponsor of the project.

Here we offer you some more information about some of them, so you can evaluate which one you like the most!

• Appearance and gratitude in the credits as patrons.

• Private online pass.

• DVD with the documentary + additional content.

• Official documentary shirt with exclusive design.

• T-shirt of the ZOO XXI platform.

• Double CD of Zoo XXI with 26 songs by artists of varied styles such as Love of Lesbian, Blaumut, Txarango, Niño de Elche, Inspira Band, Joan Dausà, Mazoni, La Troba Kung-Fu, Anna Roig and L'ombre de ton chien , Pau Vallvé, The Lazy Lies or The Pinker Tones.

• Online pedagogical guide for parents and educators.

• Double entry for the private pre-release of the documentary + colloquium in Barcelona.

• Fanzine for children about Susi's story with illustrations.

• Toast and Plant Based tasting for two people in charge of the restaurant Väcka in Barcelona.

• Private screening of the documentary + debate with the presence of the team for associations (transport costs will be added)

• Associated producer or sponsorship credits. For more information, contact [email protected]

How can I support this project?

Click on the reward you like from the right column and follow the instructions, in less than 3 minutes you will have made the contribution. If you are not a user of the platform you must register before, and you can pay with a credit card or Paypal.

Achieving the goal of the campaign is a challenge. We are the generation that will see the birth of the zoo of the future. You can make it possible! Help us spread the story of SUSI in social networks and media.

We count on you!

+ Info

www.freesusi.com
www.susiwebdoc.com
zooxxi.org
Fondation Franz Weber
liberaong.org

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Press:
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Galaxia Verde
Entrevista a Alejandra García en RTN Argentina
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