Los Angeles Premiere of the Wildlife Documentary Walking Thunder: Ode To The African Elephant Set For World Elephant Week
5 min read
August 15th premiere to be the 13th Installment of Award Winning Actorvist, Kat Kramer’s ‘Films That Change The World’
Walking Thunder: Ode To The African Elephant is a feature documentary by and about acclaimed photographers and conservationists Cyril Christo and Marie Wilkinson that will premiere on Friday, August 15th at the Laemmle Royal in West LA, at 7:30 PM.
A unique family of artists, they have spent the past two decades photographing images of the vanishing natural world. In Walking Thunder, Marie and Cyril travel with their young son Lysander across East Africa, filming over the course of ten years as they observe the role of the elephant and its own rapidly changing reality. Poaching, climate change and population growth are all vitally important issues to address immediately. The film presents a unique way of engaging a broad audience on these topics, telling a story through a family’s perspective and a child’s eyes.”
After the film a panel Q&A is to be moderated by Kat Kramer with Cyril Christo, Marie Wilkinson, Lysander Christo and other special guests to be announced. The Wildlife documentary is set to play three times daily at the Laemmle Royal through Thursday August 21st for its award-qualifying run.
Walking Thunder: Ode To The African Elephant is dedicated to author and conservationist the late Dame Daphne Sheldrick.
The film is produced and directed by Christo and Wilkinson, produced by Wilkinson, Christo, and Wendy Blackstone, along with Consulting Producer- Lori Cheatle, Editor- David Aubrey, and music by Blackstone. Christo was nominated for an Oscar in 1987 for producing A STITCH IN TIME and the composer/producer Blackstone has scored music for 2 films that won the Oscar- ‘A Girl in the River‘ and “Crisis Hotline.”
A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the Los Angeles Premiere and throughout the week-long run.
The film has screened to standing ovations at the Taos Environmental Film Festival- 2020, World Wildlife Day Film Showcase 2020, Official Selection -Suncine FICMA/Environmental Film Festival-2019, Official Selection- Santa Fe Independent Film Festival-2018. Filmmakers Christo and Wilkinson were the only couple on Earth in the COP 21 Paris Accord Climate Photo Exhibit, never shown in the US.
Renowned Animal Activist Jane Goodall is a supporter of Walking Thunder, stating: “The film Walking Thunder is an outstanding achievement. The time and talent dedicated over a 10-year span has resulted in a mesmerizing portrait of the wild Africa that still remains, despite increasing pressure from both the wildlife trafficking trade and the ever-growing human population. We must do all that is in our power to ensure that these incredible animals can remain in their habitat whilst ensuring that the human animals with whom they share the continent can also survive in dignity.”
Kat Kramer’s Films That Change The World
Walking Thunder is the fourth Wildlife documentary Kat Kramer has presented, and the third focusing on elephant conservation and animal welfare. They were “The Cove” -2nd installment in 2010, “Elephants and Man: A Litany of Tragedy, 3rd installment in 2011, and “Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story” as the 10th installment in 2018. Kramer also presented the documentary FAR OUT: LIFE ON AND AFTER THE COMMUNE, a film by Charles Light, in April 2025 at Laemmle Theaters as the launch for her 13th installment.
Kramer next appears in front of the camera in TURNOVER, an award-winning film that is being re-released for a new generation on August 1st on Fandango, TubiTV and foreign markets. Kramer won Best Supporting Actress for the role of “Fran Parveau” at Love International Film Festival in 2019. Directed and produced by Linda Palmer, written by Palmer and Laree Griffiths. The crew is primarily female and it has won multiple awards at film festivals across the country. A critically acclaimed dramedy, the film also stars Paul Guilfoyle, Donna Mills, Carlos Carrasco, Beverly Todd, Ellen Gerstein, Julia Silverman, Jamie Brewer, Blair Williamson, Danny Pardo, Adwin Brown, Daniel Hoffman, among others.
Kramer is a former Miss Golden Globe Ambassador and is the Founder of “Kat Kramer’s Films That Change The World“, an international cinema series to showcase motion pictures and documentaries that raise awareness of important social issues. She is the daughter of legendary filmmaker Stanley Kramer, actress/producer Karen Sharpe-Kramer, and the Godchild/namesake of screen icon Katharine Hepburn. She has starred in four one woman shows, and debuted her solo show “My Duet With Mick” for Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival. She is currently developing a new solo show titled “She’s A Rainbow.“
Kramer has won awards for her roles on stage as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker” and Anne Frank in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” She starred as Estella in “Great Expectations,” “Joan of Arc” in “The Lark,” and she appeared in the ensemble of “The Vagina Monologues.” Kramer served on the dais and opened the program for the Pioneer Luncheon honoring her performing idol Lily Tomlin. She received a standing ovation with a special salute musical parody called “Dear Lily Tomlin.”
Watch Kat Kramer’s, Walking Thunder announcement on YouTube filmed at The Great Elephant Migration* exhibit in Los Angeles.
An animal rights advocate, Kramer re-imagined the theme song from “Bless The Beasts And Children” as an anthem for animal rescue and wildlife protection organizations. She was honored with the Compassion Award from the Braveheart Women. Kat has appeared in films such as “Going Shopping” , “What Just Happened” and “Little Fockers.” She created the role of “Frances Rye” and multiple characters in the web series “Child of the 70’s” and won for Best Supporting Actress at the 2019 LOVE International Film Festival for her role as “Fran” in “Turnover” an award-winning indie film streaming on Amazon Prime.
Kramer plays Michelle in the acclaimed short “Mother’s Day Memories“, Beverly in the award -winning feature “Fate’s Shadow: The Whole Story” and its honored short film version “Fate’s Shadow“. She has won international awards for her role of “Violet Grace Pennington” in the multiple awarded feature “Rings Of The Unpromised” for which a sequel is in the works. She can be seen in the documentary “Call Me Kate” which launched on Netflix. Kat was recently honored with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Luxury Oscar Gala presented by Samira’s Network. Ms. Kramer has multiple projects in development as an actor/producer.
Recently, Kramer established the “Hunt For Humanity Award” at ” Kat Kramer’s Films That Change The World“. The award is given to an actorvist who uses their “voice” to fight for human rights, animal welfare advocacy, environmental justice and female empowerment. Ms. Kramer is launching the official #SHEroesForChange Festival and podcast, with the inaugural #SHERO Award.
The Great Elephant Migration
*The Great Elephant Migration is a public art exhibit which launched in July 2024 in Newport, RI. This extraordinary 5,000 mile journey, from east to west coast is now at Beverly Garland Park in Beverly Hills through August 1. [website]
*Information courtesy LA Media Consultants
