Gentle and hopeful, “The Elephant Queen” sometimes shies away from tough truths. But this documentary aims to celebrate these creatures rather than stir rage over their peril. Considering its intended young audience, that’s a smart strategy.

Narrated by the actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and directed by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone, “Queen” centers on Athena, the leader of an extended family of wild elephants that roam the Kenyan savanna. In footage shot over several years, we watch the herd congregate at its watering hole, raise its offspring and, during a drought, travel long distances to find a new water source.