Three unlikely allies embark on a mission to protect polar bears from the international fur trade in this gripping, eye-opening exposé. These well-intentioned and passionate eco-warriors believe they are making progress in educating environmental groups and the governments of Arctic countries about the issue. But as the trio’s investigation deepens, a disturbing truth unfolds: Those entrusted with safeguarding the endangered species may also be entangled in the continuing commercialization that threatens the animals’ survival. Filmed over six years across nine countries, Abraham Joffe’s enthralling documentary uncovers the sanctioned sale of hundreds of polar bears annually on the global market. Urgent questions arise about how to protect vulnerable species in a world where lines have blurred between protection and exploitation. In a film that plays like a thriller, Trade Secret reveals how conservation, politics, and commercial interests collide in ways the public was never meant to see. —Kelly Clement