Synopsis
Virunga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Africa’s oldest national park, a UNESCO world heritage site, and a contested ground among insurgencies seeking to topple the government that see untold profits in the land. Among this ongoing power struggle, Virunga also happens to be the last natural habitat for the critically endangered mountain gorilla. The only thing standing in the way of the forces closing in around the gorillas: a handful of passionate park rangers and journalists fighting to secure the park’s borders and expose the corruption of its enemies. Filled with shocking footage, and anchored by the surprisingly deep and gentle characters of the gorillas themselves, Virunga is a galvanizing call to action around an ongoing political and environmental crisis in the Congo.
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Recommendations
- 100
Village Voice
The fights Virunga documents couldn't feel more urgent. This is one of the year's most compelling and important films. - 100
The New York Times
Showcasing the best and the worst in human nature, Orlando von Einsiedel’s devastating documentary “Virunga” wrenches a startlingly lucid narrative from a sickening web of bribery, corruption and violence. - 100
Los Angeles Times
Urgent investigative report and unforgettable drama, Virunga is a work of heart-wrenching tenderness and heart-stopping suspense. - 91
IndieWire
Ever as it casts their future prospects in doubt, Virunga concludes by envying the apes’ perspective most of all. - 75
Slant Magazine
This is muckraking journalism that moves confidently with the brio of an action thriller.
