Fighting for the Underdog Launches in Bristol
So what do Hudson Hawk, Gigli and Fighting for the Underdog have in common?
Answer: each was seen by about 75 people!
Of course, comparison is always the theft of joy. While the numbers we recorded might underwhelm Hollywood, to sell out a cinema with a film about a spurdog was a massive achievement for Kai. We filled an auditorium to capacity and managed to leave everyone there enthused and enchanted.
To get this level of excitement for a film such as ours was always a tall order. When talking about why the Shark Trust had been so happy to help, their Director of Conservation Ali Hood had said ‘Of course we’re happy to help, who makes a film about the spurdog?!’. Well, we can’t argue there, it was certainly a niche topic, but one we felt embodied Kai’s core beliefs. We need to look at the little things to help understand the bigger picture. And that’s exactly what we did as we embarked on a journey to shine a light on this special little shark.
Fighting for the Underdog has been a real journey for Kai. It was conceptualised nearly 2 years ago with the idea of making a 10 minute short film for Youtube. Well, here we are in 2024 with a launch event behind us and a UK tour to look forward to!
All of that work had us with hearts in mouths as the film began to roll at the Everyman Cinema in front of 75 nature and film enthusiasts. But after the screening itself, the floor was flooded with questions for the team ranging from thoughts on our interactions with different stakeholders to the trials and tribulations of filming in a red weather warning in Scotland!
But it wasn’t just about the screening. We can only offer a huge thank you to everyone who played their part in an amazing evening. From the team who worked tirelessly in creating the documentary, to the sustainable sustenance of Two Drifters Rum and Karma Drinks who kept the evening properly lubricated; the generous artists who provided incredible originals for the Silent Auction and prints for sale, to the cinema staff who helped to make this the perfect launch for not just our documentary but for us too.
Importantly though, that Friday evening represented something far more important for us co-founders. We founded Kai in order to make a difference - to “do” things as opposed to just talking about doing things. Responses from the contributors who we interviewed for the film showed us how we can open a dialogue around how we interact with the world around us, and this is something we will continue to do with its tour of the UK and our ongoing work in the sector.