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Jaguar Spirit

Jaguar Spirit, An Awakening Journey, uncovers how Bolivia became the Global centre of the illegal jaguar trade.

Director Emi Kondo has been working on her National Geographic Society-supported investigation documentary since 2018. Her mission was to uncover the dark reality and reveal how Chinese development brought more than infrastructure to Latin America.

In love with this land and its animals, this film is a wake-up call as we experience how humans have distorted our relationship with nature and the animal that used to be worshipped as a God by countless cultures in the region.

Along her journey with Bolivian biologist Angela Nuñez and World Animal Protection investigator Roberto Vieto, Emi uncovers evidence that makes her lose faith in the system. As she learns just how complex this illegal issue is, she can't help but wonder if there is any hope for the future of the species.

Jaguar Spirit is a World Animal Protection/National Geographic Society-funded film.

  • Emi Kondo
    Director
  • Emi Kondo
    Producer
  • Angela Nuñez
    Key Cast
    "Biologist & Activist"
  • Roberto Vieto
    Key Cast
    "Wildlife Advisor World Animal Protection"
  • Rodrigo Herrera
    Key Cast
    "Prosecuting Lawyer"
  • Luis Vargas Guasase
    Key Cast
    "Community Cattle Rancher"
  • José Luis Aramayo
    Key Cast
    "Senckenberg Research Institute"
  • Thomas Poole
    Director of Photography
  • Micaela Carballo
    Music Composer
  • Emi Kondo
    Editors
  • Myles Storey
    Editors
  • Leonardo Fallas
    Colourist
  • Emi Kondo
    Executive Producers
  • Georgie Bradbury
    Executive Producers
  • Mauricio Mora Sánchez
    Voice over recording, Audio Mix & Master
  • Micaela Rosado
    Production Assistant
  • Nadia Arze
    Fixers
  • Enzo Aliaga
    Fixers
  • Paola Nogales
    Fixers
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Jaguar Spirit
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Investigation
  • Runtime:
    27 minutes 21 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Bolivia, Plurinational State of
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Emi Kondo

Emi Kondo is a Costa Rican/ Japanese wildlife filmmaker, a NatGeo Explorer and the co-founder of Botanica Films. Recently graduated from the University of the West of England with a Masters in Wildlife Filmmaking, a programme in partnership with the BBC's Natural History Unit.

Emi has worked in World Animal Protection for the past 11 years where she has filmed animals in disaster zones, farms and documented undercover captive wildlife being exploited for the entertainment of tourists. She documented captive tigers in Thailand, otters in Japanese cafes, and dolphins in venues in the US and Mexico. The footage filmed in Mexican venues turned into the film Fooled by a Smile and it was used as evidence by local organisations to ask for the ban of dolphin concrete tanks in the country. She has also been fortunate to film in the wild pink Amazon river dolphins, golden lion tamarins, hyacinth macaws, and sloths recovery and releasing efforts in Colombia.

Since 2018, Emi has been working on her National Geographic Society-supported investigation documentary, Jaguar Spirit. As a director/producer, Emi started researching about this topic and interviewed scientist and local biologists to understand what was happening in the country. She realised that the topic was covered more in English than Spanish and decided to create a film to raise awareness in Bolivia and the rest of Latin America to promote jaguars protection.

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