Nominated for an Oscar in the Best Feature Length Documentary category 2015, Virunga, a Netflix movie, is a story that takes the viewer into the chaos of the war-torn Eastern Congo and Virunga National Park in the Congo, where dedicated Park Rangers struggle to protect the last of the Mountain Gorillas and preserve the park and its residents.
Poachers endanger the gorillas. Park rangers discover a massacre of gorillas by people trying to exterminate them for the land. Militia groups, including the rebel group M23, make war against the Congo government adding another layer of fear. International corporate entities interested in the rich natural mineral resources of the area, including drilling for oil in Virunga National Park, create a situation where Park Rangers and officials are at odds with SOHO the oil exploration corporation. While the humans fight for their piece of the pie, Verunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its inhabitants, animals of all types, become vulnerable. For some interests, the gorillas, and all the other animals are expendable.
One of the themes in the documentary involves three young orphaned gorillas rescued by the Park Rangers and now in their care. As the war encroaches on the park the care of the young gorillas becomes increasingly more difficult. Seeing these young gorillas and their affection for the Rangers is heart warming.
It seems that the animals and humans in and around Virunga face similar problems as the war engulfs their constant struggle for survival. This documentary does an excellent job of telling the story by being there in the park. The filmmakers are with the rangers, the oil company (SOHO) security, the indigenous people living in the area, government soldiers and rebels as events progress. The documentary shows the refugee camps on the southern border of Virunga Park where thousands of people are living displaced by the rebels and war. Interviews and conversations with certain characters seem to be done without the interviewees knowing it. This is a pretty risky tactic for the filmmakers if they are caught since value for a person’s life is low.
VIRUNGA combines nature documentary and journalistic reporting from a war zone. The filmmakers face many life-threatening situations as they go with Park Rangers through the park to check on the gorillas and other animals. The rangers must deal with poachers and rebel militias.
VIRUNGA is a story that demonstrates the cruelty and greed of humans and the humanity shown by a few people in times when all around them is made hostile.
VIRUNGA is a documentary film that brings into focus the realities of this area of Africa and perhaps sheds light on some of the problems facing many of the former European colonies in Africa. The indigenous people have no history of self-rule. Even with independence they are still fair game for exploitation by international corporate entities that can buy their way into these countries.
VIRUNGA — Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, Produced by Joanna Natasegara and Orlando von Einsiedel, Cinematography Franklin Dow, Editor Masahiro Hirakubo. A NETFLIX FILM – 100 MINUTES – COLOR
Review by James R Martin, Documentary Filmmaker and Author Create Documentary Films, Videos and Multimedia
Trailer
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxXf2Vxj_EU’
Virunga Available on NETFLIX
Links to books by James R Martin
[amazon_image id=”0982702361″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Actuality Interviewing and Listening: How to conduct successful interviews for nonfiction storytelling, actuality documentaries and other disciplines … (Documentary and Nonfiction Storytelling)[/amazon_image]
[amazon_image id=”B0799P7HNJ” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Listen Learn Share: How & Why Listening, Learning and Sharing can Transform Your Life Experience In Practical Ways[/amazon_image]
[amazon_image id=”0982702329″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Create Documentary Films, Videos and Multimedia: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Documentary Storytelling Techniques for Film, Video, the Internet and Digital Media Projects.[/amazon_image]