Uncle Elephant, a short film that depicts Cambodia’s efforts to conserve Asian elephants and the rich resources in the Prey Lang area, will be showcased at the World Wildlife Film Festival on March 3 in New York, US.

Wild Earth Allies (Cambodia) country director Tuy Serey Vathana who is also a main character in the film, told The Post on Wednesday that it was produced by a working group of Wild Earth Allies last year.

It was voted and chosen as a Silverback Film by a committee of the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival in October last year.

“Uncle Elephant, our first film, has been selected for three new film festivals. This now brings Uncle Elephant’s total festival showings to four after we made our debut at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival in New York City.

“It’s exciting to see our work here in Cambodia being shown on an international stage,” he said.

Uncle Elephant runs for less than five minutes. It shows the collaboration between Wild Earth Allies and relevant institutions of the government, as well as the indigenous Kuoy people living in the Prey Lang area.

The film focuses mainly on the work of natural resource conservation and protection of wild animals in Cambodia, especially Asian elephants that are endangered by hunting and illegal logging.

Since his childhood, Serey Vathana dreamt of becoming a defender and conservationist of forests and wild animals, especially researching in deep forests where most people cannot go.

This now brings Uncle Elephant’s total festival showings to four. The video shows conservation work being carried out in the Prey Lang area. Photo supplied

He said that now his dream has come true. He works in the Prey Lang area to protect and conserve Asia elephants in collaboration with the government and the Kuoy community.

In the film, the Prey Lang area of Cambodia was estimated to have some 40 Asian elephants.

The decline in the number of Asian elephants in Cambodia demanded participation from all relevant parties in protection and conservation work, the film says.

“I will be travelling to Washington D.C. in the US in March to take part in the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital.

“While in the US, I’ll spend time with friends, supporters and colleagues – and make a visit to the National Geographic’s headquarters – to talk about our conservation work in Cambodia,” Serey Vathana said.