by Dov Kornits
The Australian filmmaker delivers the feature length documentary Trade Secret, which is gaining momentum after more than 10 years in the making, resonating with the likes of Adam McKay, Anthony Albanese and Adelaide Film Festival.
“The origins of Trade Secret go back to 2012, which was my very first trip to the High Arctic to see polar bears,” emails Trade Secret director Abraham Joffe in answer to our questions. “Like anyone who’s ever seen polar bears in the wild, I can attest that it’s an unbelievable experience. Nothing can prepare you for the sight of a bear walking along the frozen sea a hundred and fifty miles from shore. They’re true apex predators – top of the food chain and real survivors.
“But it was on that very trip that I also learned something that completely shocked me: that if you had enough money, there was the possibility of trophy hunting a polar bear or buying a skin and shipping it internationally. The very existence of the international fur trade – I couldn’t believe it. As somebody who’s worked in wildlife filmmaking and conservation for over twenty years, I just couldn’t believe that I didn’t know about this.
“Immediately, I knew there was a story to be told here. This is the icon of the climate crisis, and I would argue the symbol of biodiversity loss in general. And yet, here we are, in the twenty-first century, continuing to trade and trophy hunt this incredible species.
“It wasn’t until about five years later, in 2017, that we met a Norwegian – Ole Liodden [below], who ended up becoming a key figure in the film. We learned of his quest to uncover the true statistics and hidden, suppressed facts around the international commercial trade in polar bears. That meeting marked the beginning of my journey to start documenting this unfolding story.
“Little did I know that it would take another several years to finally complete the film and screen it to audiences – but here we are.”
After mainly working in nature docos for TV and streaming, Joffe is excited to produce a feature film, alongside fellow producers Dom West and Louis Cooper Robinson, that emulates the spark which first inspired his interest in documentary filmmaking. “What I’ve always hoped to find as a filmmaker is a story that truly justifies the dedication required to tell it as it unfolds,” he says. “One of the earliest films that amazed me was the Chicago-based basketball documentary Hoop Dreams. The fact that the filmmakers followed individuals over the course of years, without knowing where the story would lead, was astonishing to me. I remember being completely struck by that commitment – by the idea that someone would devote themselves so fully to a story in the truest documentary sense of the word.
“It became clear fairly early on that Trade Secret was demanding that same level of commitment – if we could find the resources to sustain it. I often think about other films that have deeply influenced me, like The Cove and Blackfish. They tackled hugely important subjects in powerful, engaging ways without ever tipping into the sensational. It’s real life, and sometimes real life is shocking and hard to take. But that’s exactly when you need the courage to take out the cameras – or in some cases, conceal them – and go after the story.
“My hope is that Trade Secret is recognised as a carefully told, truthful documentation of the current threats polar bears face. But beyond that, I think there’s a much larger story here – a meta story – about the ongoing exploitation of threatened and vulnerable species under the guise of so-called “sustainable use.” Too many countries around the world continue to normalise this practice.
“When it comes to endangered species, what I’ve learned through this journey is that there simply is no place for commercial trade.
“But what’s important to say is that we are filmmakers, not activists. You’ll see no call to action at the end of Trade Secret. It’s up to the viewer to ultimately decide how to take the film. That said, as an individual, I would love to see the people within our story succeed in their quest to bring further protections to polar bears and so many other threatened species.”
When did he know that he had Trade Secret in the can? “These ongoing, multi-year filmmaking journeys can feel endless – the story continues to unfold even today. When do you know when to call it quits?
“For us, there was a natural conclusion to the story. It’s hard to talk about without giving anything away, but when people see Trade Secret, the ending will feel clear and inevitable. That said, I do believe this film possibly deserves a coda, or even a sequel, because sadly, the story continues. My hope is that Trade Secret helps spark the urgently needed conversations around these terribly important issues.
“The very first sequence that made the final cut was filmed in September 2017, when my wife was eight months pregnant with our first child. We now have three boys, and our eldest has just turned eight. That alone shows you how long the gestation period for a feature documentary can truly be.”
Trade Secret’s international premiere was in September at the Climate Film Festival in New York. “It was an incredible launch for the film in the United States, with the world-renowned marine conservationist Dr. Sylvia Earle [below, with Abraham Joffe] opening the screening,” says Joffe. “She described Trade Secret as “a life-changing film” in front of two packed New York cinemas.
“Being at Climate Week with the film was very timely, and I had the chance to meet several significant figures in the conservation space, including Prince Albert of Monaco, a brief encounter with Harrison Ford – a dedicated conservationist – and also, unexpectedly, our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
“We both happened to be at the Old Mates pub in Lower Manhattan for a celebration marking the 36 Months campaign to raise the legal age for Aussie teens accessing social media. I handed the Prime Minister a card for Trade Secret and mentioned that back in 2015, the Abbott government had unilaterally banned the importation of lion body parts into Australia –even though lions remain a legally traded species under CITES [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species].
“I urged him to take similar leadership on the polar bear issue and to ban the importation of this iconic species into Australia. He seemed genuinely surprised by the revelation. I think Australia could demonstrate great leadership and help protect this symbolic species from trade. I mean how many Aussies would oppose such a ban?”
A notable name in the credits for Trade Secret is director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, The Big Short, Vice, Don’t Look Up). “He came into the process fairly late in the game, during the edit phase, and he was immediately taken with the film and, in his words, the world that Trade Secret took him into. He actually offered to become executive producer – he wasn’t asked – which was incredibly humbling,” says Joffe.
“He’s obviously a world-renowned Hollywood filmmaker, an Oscar winner, but what not everyone knows is that Adam is also a staunch environmentalist. He’s a passionate advocate for action on the climate crisis and has consistently stood up against moral corruption and injustice in many areas of modern life-whether financial, environmental, or, in this case, the exploitation of species.
“Having his participation and endorsement is incredibly powerful, and we’re honoured to have him as part of the team.”
Abraham Joffe is part of Sydney-based production company Untitled Film Works, found in 2000, and which, like the title of his film, is a bit of a trade secret.
“The name Untitled stems from our desire to approach every subject with an open mind – to discover the story as it unfolds before our eyes and our lens, rather than arriving with preconceived ideas,” says Joffe. “We try not to bring our own personal biases into the filmmaking process, though of course, I’d be lying if I said that who you are doesn’t influence your decisions. Every creative choice, consciously or unconsciously, is shaped by your own perspective. That’s been true since the earliest documentary films.
“But if you remain aware of your own biases, you can actively work to stay true to the story and to reality itself-something that feels more important than ever in the increasingly divided world we live in today.
“From the very beginning, we’ve always been drawn to stories that explore our relationship with nature-human and nature stories,” says Joffe.
“Although we’ve had some incredible experiences in what’s often called “blue-chip” natural history, like Our Oceans (narrated by Barack Obama), we’re most inspired by the complex relationships between people and the natural world. Trade Secret is by far the most confronting subject we’ve ever taken on, but also the one I think we’re most proud of.”
Trade Secret is screening at the Adelaide Film Festival on 25 October 2025, for more information, click here.
