Virunga (2014) on Netflix
NR20141h 40mDocumentaryWar
In eastern Congo, Virunga National Park holds the last of the mountain gorillas. A gorilla caretaker, the park's wardens and a journalist defend it from armed militia and oil exploration.
- Netflix4.5/5
- IMDb8.1/1012,863 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes100%
Trailer
Plot summary
Virunga National Park lies in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is Africa's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it holds the mountain gorilla's last natural habitat. Four people work to protect it: André Bauma cares for orphaned gorillas, Rodrigue Mugaruka Katembo is warden of the central sector, Emmanuel de Merode is chief warden, and Mélanie Gouby is a French investigative journalist. The park faces armed militia, poachers and the British oil company SOCO International, which is active inside the protected land. In April 2012 conflict begins in the region with the M23 rebellion, and the rangers and journalist are caught in the fighting.
Cast
- André Baumaas Self (gorilla caretaker)
- Emmanuel de Merodeas Self (Virunga National Park)
- Mélanie Goubyas Self (freelance journalist)
- Rodrigue Mugaruka Katemboas Self (Virunga National Park)
- Vianney Kazaramaas Self (M23 rebel spokesman)
- Julien Lechenaultas Self - Manager, SOCO, Eastern Congo
- Guyguy Mitambaas Self - Head of Security, gorilla orphanage, Rumangabo, Virunga southern sector
- Josue Mukuraas Self - Fisherman
- Pieter Wrightas Self - SOCO security contractor
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Virunga (2014)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- To investigate the British oil company Soco International, director Orlando von Einsiedel worked with park officials and French journalist Mélanie Gouby, and undercover filming captured Soco representatives offering bribes to park rangers; Soco strongly denied the allegations.
- Virunga's world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York came just two days after the park's chief warden, Emmanuel de Merode, was shot by unidentified gunmen on the road from Goma to the park's headquarters; he survived and the premiere went ahead.
- Director Orlando von Einsiedel traveled to Virunga National Park in 2012 intending to document the park authorities' progress in encouraging tourism, but within three weeks of arriving the M23 rebellion broke out and the film's focus shifted to the conflict.
- After the documentary's allegations, Soco International and the WWF announced on 11 June 2014 that the oil company would not drill inside Virunga National Park unless UNESCO and the DRC government agreed it was compatible with its World Heritage status; the WWF and the filmmakers were credited with the victory.
