26 September 2023

Lion Spy: The Hunt for Justice

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Reviewed by Rama Gaind.

Writer/producer/director: Rogue Rubin, Pivot Pictures.

It’s a compelling revelation as you learn about an extraordinary operation to protect African lions from the most dangerous predator. What started as a passionate mission to encourage lion conservation, turned out instead to be an undercover assignment with trophy hunters.

The upshot is Lion Spy is an absolutely convincing feature documentary!

Discover how Australian filmmaker Rogue Rubin (Love in Bloom, Slumdog Millionaire, Man on Wire, Mary and Max) goes undercover to reveal what really happens on African animal hunting safaris, which are leading to the extinction of the majestic wild lion.

This part-exposé, part-thriller follows appropriately named Rogue as she puts herself in tremendous personal danger exploring clandestine operations, amidst the isolated African plains, capturing footage that is as captivating as it is distressing. As she explores, alone with men and guns, she realises that if she is found out she will be killed.

When a young woman discovers that the extinction of wild lions is imminent, she decides to create a false identity to portray herself as a ‘big game photographer’ and infiltrates the male-dominated world of trophy hunters in Africa, putting herself at tremendous personal risk. Melbourne-based Rubin is ingenious!

She went on all forms of hunts because she wanted to understand the mindset of trophy hunters and highlight the plight of wild lions, which the World Wildlife Fund has listed as vulnerable.

She knew about elephants being endangered, rhinos were becoming extinct, but had no idea lions were on the “verge of imminent extinction; there are only 20,000 left in the wild.”

Big game hunting is legal in Africa. Rogue Rubin hopes her film will bring about change and put an end to international trophy hunting.

Lion Spy: The Hunt for Justice opens in cinemas on 24 November 2021.

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