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Gibbons and Guardians
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The sometimes funny, sometimes startling story of the Gibbon Conservation Center. There, a determined group of individuals dedicate their lives to the care of these endangered apes — and in the process, find courage, laughter, and even romance.
The CENTER: Gibbons and Guardians
A love triangle that incites jealous rage. An out-of-control wildfire that threatens lives and livelihoods. A sudden tragedy that upends a close-knit community. You might not expect such intense dramas at a small conservation center in the California desert, yet that’s exactly what you’ll get in the documentary, The CENTER: Gibbons and Guardians, which includes commentary from Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace.
Watch it to get immersed in the sometimes funny, sometimes startling story of the Gibbon Conservation Center. There, a determined group of individuals dedicate their lives to the conservation, study, and care of these endangered apes — and in the process, find courage, laughter, and even romance. The film will keep you riveted as the staff face one challenge after another.
The lives of the apes intertwine with those who care for them to create a rich symphony that will make you feel how surprising and passionate life can be.
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Alex M. Azmi: Director, Executive Producer
Alex Azmi is an Emmy-Award winner filmmaker. He is based in Los Angeles, CA and is interested in documentaries and narrative films that deal with social and human issues. Alex is dedicated to producing high quality films in collaboration with talented artists in the US and around the world.
Michael Thau: Producer, Editor, and writer
Michael has worked on numerous features and television shows. Director Richard Donner put him to work on a variety of projects including The Goonies, The Lost Boys, and the Lethal Weapon series. Michael restored Superman - The Movie, directing acclaimed documentaries about the film. Thau then produced Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, restoring all of the director's "lost" material, including never-seen-before scenes of Marlon Brando. The film won the prestigious Saturn Award. Michaels’ career also includes directing projects such as Tales of the Crypt, A Call For Help, and 2nd Unit for Lethal Weapon 2 and Scrooged.
Gabi skollar: producer
Gabriella Skollar is the Director of the Gibbon Conservation Center (GCC). Gabriella graduated in 2004 with a Master’s degree in Biology at the University of Szeged in Hungary.
Gabriella is an active participant in the gibbon zoological, conservation, and scientific communities worldwide. She is a member of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes and a husbandry advisor for the Gibbon SSP in the USA.
Gabriella gives educational lectures and tours at the GCC. Currently, her studies focus on gibbon vocalization with the goal that her studies will support gibbon conservation efforts.
Dan Watt: Producer
Dan Watt is a Documentary filmmaker interested in stories exploring the human experience, the arts, and the protection and conservation of our planet and wildlife. Dan currently has a feature film in post-production examining the arts and children, and another film in production honoring women and their journey through life.
Ilsik Byun: Composer
Ilsik Byun received his B.M. in film scoring from Berklee College of Music and M.A. in Composition from New York University. He studied classical orchestration, composition and tonal/jazz harmony with noted composers such as John Bavicchi, Richard Davis, and Dinu Ghezzo.
Upon graduation, Ilsik relocated to Los Angeles to pursue film and television scoring full time. Since then, he has participated many post-production projects including feature films, documentaries, national television commercials and radio commercials as a composer and an arranger.
Federico Ferrandina: Composer
Federico is an Italian music artist, born into a family of classical musicians. That heritage seemed destined to pair his irrepressible hunger for diverse musical galaxies with non-musical disciplines. Ferrandina's work gained the attention of the entertainment industry, and many of his compositions are currently in major movies and TV shows soundtracks, such as the multi-Oscar winner Dallas Buyers Club and in Netflix and HBO series. Federico just released his first solo album for French label Another Music Records, an unconventional and genre-defining work that displays his musical language and his forward-thinking concepts of sound.
Gibbons In The Wild
Gibbons in the wild exist in the shadow of extinction. They face numerous challenges including deforestation, hunting, and illegal trades. Of the 20 known species, 19 are endangered, critically endangered, or near extension.
The Gibbon Conservation Center, https://www.gibboncenter.org, where the film events take place, is dedicated to helping Gibbons by educating the public and providing much needed research. The Gibbon Conservation Center is located in Santa Clarita, CA.
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