Virunga

Another documentary that I have really enjoyed watching is Virunga. This film revolves around the people who put all of their effort and ultimately their lives into preserving the Virunga National Park in the Congo of Africa and its inhabitants. This park is the location of the last of the mountain gorillas and the park rangers help defend them, as well as other animals that live there. The gorillas needed defending due to poachers killing the parents of gorilla families and taking the children to sell. The rangers act as protectors and as parents of the mountain gorillas that have lost their parents. They will continue to do so until they are strong enough and healthy enough to survive on their own.
The park also had a great effect on the country economically and socially, which gave the people hope that it will heal their country from past wars and disputes.
However, a civil war broke out in the Congo and made it more difficult for people to defend the gorillas and the park. This was due to the Rwanda genocide in 1994. It was said that many of the killers escaped into Congo and caused conflict there. There was also a high demand for oil and minerals found in Congo. It was illegal to search for oil in the park, but  British company that was after it, forced their way in through bribery and force. The park reacted in documenting everything and using the footage they had as a way of defending their park as well as others throughout Congo. It is this footage that makes up the majority of the documentary. It isn't long thought before merely recording everything was not enough and the rangers were forced to defend themselves and the park station physically, as the British company as well as the rebels refused to back down.

At the end of the movie, those who shot the film asked for the viewers to help support those who were defending Virunga park. I don't think their sole reason for filming this documentary was to ask this of the audience, but rather to tell the story of these mountain gorillas and those who had adopted them. But those who are a threat to them are still around and illegally searching for oil. So, what better way to help the park rangers defend the park than to use this documentary, right? I thought it had a powerful message about life and right and wrong and it is one that should be taken seriously.

(If you would like to watch this, it is on Netflix and I would highly recommend it. It is beautifully filmed.)