“A life-changing film.”
Dr. Sylvia Earle
A gripping exposé of the polar bear fur trade, revealing how conservation, politics and commercial interests collide in ways the public was never meant to see.
Trade Secret follows three unlikely allies on a mission to protect polar bears from international commercial trade. Filmed over six years across nine countries, the film exposes the sanctioned sale of hundreds of polar bears each year on the global market. But as the investigation deepens, it uncovers a disturbing truth: those entrusted with safeguarding the species may be entangled in their continued commercialisation. The film raises urgent questions about how we protect vulnerable species in a world where the lines between protection and exploitation have become blurred.
Synopsis
“It is a superbly crafted work - powerful, urgent, and deeply moving. It sheds light on a matter of global importance, and it does so with both journalistic integrity and cinematic finesse.”
Wolfgang Knöpfler,
Producer of ‘The Ivory Game’ and ‘Sea of Shadows’.
“A breathtaking masterpiece and unflinching exposé - confronting humanity’s betrayal of the wild and the devastating cost of losing a species forever.”
Kartiki Gonsalves
Academy Award winning director of ‘The Elephant Whisperers’
Where to Watch
September 21st
Trade Secret had its International Premiere as the Closing Night film of the Climate Film Festival in New York City during Climate Week. The event opened with remarks by “Her Deepness” Dr. Sylvia Earle, marine biologist, conservationist, and National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence.
The screening was followed by a Q&A with Costas Christ (moderator; journalist, global conservationist, award-winning National Geographic writer, Co-Founder, Blue Climate Initiative); Abraham Joffe (Director/Producer, Trade Secret); Ole J Liodden (photographer and polar bear expert, Founder, Polar Bears & Humans); Cristina Mittermeier (conservation photographer, Co-Founder, SeaLegacy); and Paul Nicklen (conservation photographer, Co-Founder, SeaLegacy).
Climate Film Festival: New York, USA
International Premiere
September 30th
Jackson Wild
Jackson, Wyoming USA
Trade Secret will screen at the Jackson Wild Summit on September 30th, available to Summit pass holders only. Recognised as one of the world’s most influential gatherings for nature filmmakers, conservation leaders, and innovators, Jackson Wild is a premier platform where groundbreaking stories spark global impact. It’s an honor to be included this year, where the film is also a nominee for Best Investigative Film.
October 5th/6th
Trade Secret to screen over two nights (Oct 5th/6th) at the prestigious Hampton’s International Film Festival. It will feature in the Compassion, Justice and Animal rights program alongside Werner Herzog’s ‘Ghost Elephants’ and Allison Argo’s ‘Forever Home’. Screenings will be followed by a conversation with director Abraham Joffe. Tickets on sale now.
Hamptons International Film Festival
East Hamptons, USA
October 16th/25th)
Adelaide Film Festival will host the Australian Premiere of Trade Secret on October 16th. The festival describes the film as “a meticulously composed exposé…Trade Secret avoids sensationalism in favour of clear-eyed, forensic storytelling. Calm and quietly damning.” Premiere screening followed by a live conversation with Director Abraham Joffe.
Australian Premiere at Adelaide Film Festival
Adelaide, Australia
October 20th
Trade Secret has been selected as the OPENING NIGHT film for the globally recognised Wildscreen Summit in Bristol, UK. The screening will take place at the Bristol Megascreen with a full capacity of 350 seats. Summit pass holders will have first access to tickets, with general public tickets to be released soon. The film is also nominated for Best Independent Film at this year’s Panda Awards, one of the highest honours in natural history filmmaking.
Tickets on Sale now - they are going fast!
Opening Film at Wildscreen
Bristol, UK
November 1st
Trade Secret has been selected as the Centrepiece film at the prestigious Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival in Washington, DC. The screening will be followed by a live discussion with Abraham Joffe and journalist Costas Christ, moderated by David E. Guggenheim.
Now in its eleventh year, Double Exposure - produced by the investigative news organization 100Reporters - celebrates groundbreaking films rooted in investigative storytelling. More than a showcase, DX connects audiences with urgent, truth-seeking work that bridges journalism, art, and policy change at a time when defending verifiable truth has never been more critical.
In addition to the the screening, Joffe will also take part in the festival’s symposium panel “Against the Current: Breaking Through the Dominant Narrative,” a conversation on the creative and ethical challenges of confronting entrenched stories and the personal and professional risks of exposing suppressed realities.
Centrepiece Film at Double Exposure
Washington DC, USA
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