Red Velvet

2007 FESTIVAL
58 min.
Produced in France. In Southern Siberia’s Altai mountains, where thousands of maral deer live in massive protected reserves. Following tradition, every spring their velvet antlers are cut off in a bloody ritual to provide Koreans with highly sought-after aphrodisiac. The film recounts an entire year in Altai, offering a haunting and graphic look at the subsistence modern-day lives spent harvesting deer antlers, followed by a disjointing journey to South Korea. It’s a different look at conservation – how the preservation of a wild species can depend upon the preservation of traditions that we Americans might find shocking. Viewer Discretion Advised: Adult content and brief depictions of antler harvesting.