Title: A Gorilla Story – Told by David Attenborough
Director: James Reed and Callum Webster
Starring: David Attenborough
Producers: Jennifer Davisson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alastair Fothergill, and Phillip Watson
Publisher: Netflix
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars (8 stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by AstilbeDavid Attenborough tells the remarkable story of his first encounter with the baby gorilla Pablo, how that gorilla grew up to be a top Silverback and how Pablo’s direct descendants are doing today.
Good news, especially about a critically endangered species, can be hard to find but so worthwhile when it happens.
I loved learning about David’s decades-long relationship with Pablo, a gorilla who was orphaned as a baby in the 1970s, adopted by the dominate male in his group, and who later became the leader of that same group as an adult. It was incredible to me that we could know so much about Pablo’s life over the years as well as the lives of his descendants. The flashbacks to the past, including how a few brave humans worked to keep this population alive at a time when their survival was in question, helped to provide some context for their group dynamics today, especially as they related to how newcomers were treated and what happened to young male gorillas as they grew up.
One of the topics I wish had been explored in greater depth was related to the resounding success of the conservation efforts of the 1970s that turned the Virunga Mountains into a sanctuary for this species. There were some brief references to the gorilla population slowly growing too large for this area, and I would have loved to hear what modern day scientists are hoping to do to solve this new problem. For example, would they relocate some of these animals or maybe try to expand their territory?
This film did an excellent job of appealing to viewers from a wide range of ages. While I wouldn’t recommend it to children under the age of eight due to a few brief scenes of violence between some gorillas, older kids and adults had plenty of content to work with here. David’s narration helped to explain what was happening both inside of this particular group of animals as well as in the outside world. There were multiple scenes showing the tender care mother gorillas gave to their babies as slightly older youngsters played boisterous games nearby that would work especially well for kids, teens, and adults simultaneously.
A Gorilla Story – Told by David Attenborough was heartwarming, hopeful, and educational.
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