Virunga

An activist documentary with the bones of a suspense thriller, award-winning “Virunga” is one of those rare cases where style and substance are perfectly balanced. Shot with the frenetic energy and the high production values of a Hollywood thriller, it kicks off with a look back on Congo history, riddled with colonialism, oppression and bloody rebellion. With each shot, director Orlando von Einsiedel slips deeper and deeper into Virunga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Centre – and before you know it, you’re suddenly watching a militant documentary about saving the mountain gorilla! Of course, by that time, the four main characters have gotten so deep under your skin, it’s impossible not to take their side. The evil mastermind in this case is none other than SOCO, an oil company that’s just itching to get their hands on the park’s beautiful lake ever since the discovery of oil, as bloody conflict in the area escalates by the minute. On the defender’s side, gorilla caretaker Andre Bauman has pledged his life to the protection of this nearly extinct species, chief warden Emmanuel de Merode and his right-hand man do their best to keep warfare outside the park and freelance French journalist Melanie Goubie flirts with the enemy, Mata Hari-style, in order to extract valuable information. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, “Virunga” is  one of the most exciting environmental films of all time!