The story of the birth of the exploitation of wild animals, the fruit of the iron twinning between the Industrial Revolution and the omnipotent and arrogant logic of colonialism, told through the multiple tribulations of Fritz, an Asian elephant who, one hundred and fifty years ago, worked in the largest circus in the world.
Direction
Ménager connects one elephant to entire systems of power.
Editing
Archival footage that stares back. You are complicit.
Director
Camille Ménager
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Fritz arrived in Europe during 'elephant mania' — zoos and circuses competed for exotic status symbols, treating living animals as industrial imports no different from cotton or coal.
The film argues modern animal entertainment — even 'ethical' wildlife docs — inherits this colonial gaze: we still decide when animals perform, what we learn, and when we look away.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
FR
