Virunga

[Buldeo]

Netflix has been quietly building up an impressive library of documentaries over the past couple of years, and they've taken a big leap into nature docs by picking up the exclusive rights to Grain Media's Virunga. It hits the streaming service on 7 November 2014.

In the forested depths of eastern Congo lies Virunga National Park, one of the most bio-diverse places in the world and home to the last of the mountain gorillas. In this wild, but enchanted environment, a small and embattled team of park rangers - including an ex-child soldier turned ranger, a carer of orphan gorillas and a Belgian conservationist - protect this UNESCO world heritage site from armed militia, poachers and the dark forces struggling to control Congo's rich natural resources. When the newly formed M23 rebel group declares war in May 2012, a new conflict threatens the lives and stability of everyone and everything they've worked so hard to protect.

Trailer can be seen here.

 

[Buldeo]

This is now available on Netflix's streaming service if you were so inclined to check it out.

If the gorillas misbehave, manhandling them is not an option - the orphans are now stronger than their human carers. "You cannot force them to do something because if they decide to be stubborn, you will have difficulties," says Bauma. For example if an orphan escapes from the enclosure, it can take hours to get them back inside - it's the gorillas' "favourite game" according to the park website, but it's not at all funny for the carers.

Luckily Bauma has a secret weapon: Pringles - the salty potato snacks. "When you give them something they like, they realise that you're their friend. We do not give it to them as food, but rather as a tactic to handle them," he says.

Full article here.

Heroes usually make a decision to put themselves in danger or to protect people who are in danger. But the true victims in this story -- the mountain gorillas of Virunga -- are hard to see as anything other than innocent quarry of machinations far beyond their ken. They are pure victims in every sense of the word. I don't know whether the gorillas have a good attitude or a bad attitude, but it's clear that the operatives from the oil company SOCO do not have their best interests at heart. To me it's the most memorable line in the movie, produced in one of the undercover sequences recorded by French journalist Melanie Gouby. One oil company operative, clearly unable to grasp that some sympathies cannot be bought, says, "They don't give a **** about the gorillas!"

Full article here.

 

[Panthera1981]

Have just watched it. An excellent film.

I wish nothing more than a slow, painful death on anyone affiliated with SOCO. May the company burn in hell.

 

[TheMightyOrca]

Great movie. Along with Mission Blue, I am LOVING this trend of Netflix producing nature documentaries. (with Animal Planet, Discovery, and other "educational" networks going down the toilet, it's just harder to find good new nature docs these days) I badly hope they put out more.

 

[Panthera1981]

Great movie. Along with Mission Blue, I am LOVING this trend of Netflix producing nature documentaries. (with Animal Planet, Discovery, and other "educational" networks going down the toilet, it's just harder to find good new nature docs these days) I badly hope they put out more.

Have finally got round to watching Mission Blue. Agree, another excellent documentary!

I'm amazed that Sylvia Earle managed to keep her cool when being interviewed by that talk show host-what an ignorant clown! Although I think I saw her grit her teeth when he mentioned Shark Week!

 

[TheMightyOrca]

Have finally got round to watching Mission Blue. Agree, another excellent documentary!

I'm amazed that Sylvia Earle managed to keep her cool when being interviewed by that talk show host-what an ignorant clown! Although I think I saw her grit her teeth when he mentioned Shark Week!

It was so great. The part about the whale sharks going missing made me sad. But I went nuts (in a good way) at that deep sea exploration bit, where they go down and it seems dark and empty, until they turn out their own light and everything lights up around them. I think I truly understand how that one guy felt when he saw that double rainbow.