Synopsis

The Ramba Effect follows the powerful and inspiring journey of Ramba, the last circus elephant in Chile, as she travels 2,550 miles to her new home at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. After five decades of captivity, Ramba must summon extraordinary strength for one final quest: freedom. During her long journey by plane and truck, she faces daunting obstacles that test her spirit. Her story becomes a moving symbol of the broader fight for animal liberation, offering hope for all creatures still living in captivity.

Intimate and profound, The Ramba Effect is a celebration of resilience, a protest against cruelty, and a tribute to the enduring spirit of a soul nearly forgotten by the world.

Documentary  | Australia, Brazil, Chile  | English, Spanish, French  | Duration: 01:22:32  

FILM TEAM

  • Claire Sandberg

    PRODUCER & DIRECTOR

    Claire Sandberg is an emerging documentary filmmaker driven by a lifelong love for animals and a deep sense of reverence for the natural world. Her passion for storytelling was sparked by the remarkable journey of Ramba, the last circus elephant in Chile—a story that set her on a mission to give voice to the extraordinary beings we share this planet with. Through her films, Claire seeks to capture the lives of animals with compassion, urgency, and a profound respect for our place in the natural world.

  • SJ van Breda

    EDITOR & WRITER

    SJ van Breda is currently a director and editor in South Africa, working through FBDF, a full-service production company.  SJ is also head of post production for US-based interactive media company MiPix Media.  

    SJ was born and raised in Durban, South Africa. She  graduated as a mechanical engineer from the University of  Cape Town, and worked in the aerospace research field for  two years, before pursuing film at Vancouver Film School. 

    She graduated with honors with specialization in directing,  post-production, and cinematography.  

    SJ focuses on creating unique and insightful content with a  keen focus on writing, directing and editing. She is a multi skilled film professional and has worked in every facet of film production.

  • Cassius Rayner

    CINEMATOGRAPHER

    Cassius is an established filmmaker and cinematographer based in the United Kingdom. He was born in a small fishing town on the south coast of England and later trained in camera operating for a local news network. He became a freelance camera operator for the United Nations UNOPS based in several different countries during  conflicts in the mid-to-late 1990’s.  

    Cassius has more than 25 years in production, filming  documentaries, drama, music videos, and commercials. His  first feature documentary, Poker Queen, in 2005 was  broadcast on ABC, PBS and Sky TV. In 2014, Cassius turned  his attention to smartphones and continues to shoot films using the technology, receiving 14 international film awards  for his work on films in Africa, Eastern Europe, and East Asia.  In his spare time, Cassius is dedicated to supporting,  training, and mentoring disadvantaged and marginalized  young people in film production.

  • Neill Barham

    PRODUCER

    Tbd

It was the summer of 2019 and the world felt grim. I  received the email from the Global Sanctuary for Elephants  that they had finally been granted the CITES permit to move  Ramba, the last circus elephant in Chile, to Brazil. Here was  a group of people who had devoted their lives to saving  captive elephants. And they were about to embark upon  something extraordinary. I knew I had to tell the story.  

Through this film, I sought to capture who Ramba was as an  individual, but also the dedication of the people who fought  tirelessly to give her a new life. I wanted to show the beauty  

of sanctuary and its power to heal. I wanted to give the  world a sense of the depth and complexity of the lives of  elephants. And, perhaps most importantly, to introduce  people to the harm captivity exacts on these deeply  sensitive, emotional beings.  

My deepest wish is that this film will gently move viewers to  understand what elephants truly need and how damaging  captivity is for these sentient, complex individuals.  Elephants belong in herds, with their loved ones, their  children and mothers and sisters, free to roam wild as nature  intended. I hope you enjoy experiencing The Ramba Effect for yourself.

Director’s Statement