Film to save the Last Gorillas of DRC Congo
Donation protected
Make a Film - "Spread the Message - Show the Communities - Promote Tourism" - Save the Park, Its people and Its Gorillas!
This is John's plan! Thank you for your interest in our project. Please read the information below about this original issue, why it matters and what we are trying to do about it:
What’s the Issue?
John’s Story
Why a Film?
The Documentary Films
What’s the Money for?
Who am I?
What’s the Issue?
The Grauer’s gorilla or otherwise known as the Eastern Lowland gorilla, is the largest of the four subspecies of gorilla and therefore the largest ape on the planet. However it is also in the greatest danger, found only in the jungles of Eastern democratic Republic of Congo, it has become another forgotten victim in the midst of a much wider and horrific human conflict. The Congo has been in a militia civil war since the Rwandan genocide in 1995. Refugees and defeated warlords flooded into the forests of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. More than five million people are thought to have died in a conflict sometimes called “The Forgotten War”. It’s a war whose brutality is staggering. For example, when a notorious warlord, Laurent Nkunda, captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, in 2004, an estimated 16,000 women were raped in a single weekend (Nkunda is now in a Rwandan jail). At the moment this area is being ravaged by the world’s second deadliest Ebola crisis, which only started last year. The problems that face the communities of the DRC are huge:
Militia Violence
Severe Poverty
Ebola Endemic
International Mineral Exploitation
Refugee Crisis
This has meant the decimation of wildlife in, what used to be one of the world’s most biologically diverse jungle habitats, has gone unnoticed and unsupported. The Grauer’s gorilla are now critically endangered, there numbers have declined 80% in 20 years, and they now have been predicted for extinction within our lifetime. This is due to these threats the gorillas face:
Deforestation (Charcoal, Timber, Agriculture)
Bush Meat Industry
High and unregulated accessibility to firearms from the Wars.
Illegal Trophy Hunting
Illegal and Industrial Mining (Coltan, Gold)
Genetic Meltdown due to inbreeding mutations
Lack of Tourism
Lack of sufficient Ranger protection
The Eastern DRC is as dangerous and difficult to live in as anywhere – people struggle daily with poverty and disease, never mind the conflict – and, under the circumstances, you might think nobody would give a minute’s thought to anything like wildlife conservation; but you would be wrong. John Kahekwa has but he needs our help!
John’s Story
John Kahekwa comes from Bukavu in South Kivu, DRC, and has spent his whole life trying to look after the Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. John’s parents died when he was very young and he was taken in by his Auntie who had married a white Belgian conservationist, named Adrien Deschryver. Deschryver became a pioneer for gorilla habituation and became head warden of the national park passing on his knowledge to John. John followed in his new father’s footsteps and also became Chief Ranger. John’s gorillas were famous in the DRC and Maheshe appeared on the Congolese 5,000-franc banknote.
All of John’s gorillas became casualties to the war, he spent years combating poachers but to no avail and eventually realised that because much of the problems had its origins in poverty, the only way to keep the wildlife safe was to get the local community involved in protecting it. So he set up the Pole-Pole Foundation, devoted to bringing the interests of local people and the national park together.
Why a Film?
Thirty years ago a film came out about Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, it was called “Gorillas in the Mist”. You may have heard of it. At that time the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda were in a similar situation on the brink of extinction. The film followed American researcher Diane Fossey on her journey to habituate the apes for research. The film was widely viewed and helped change local perceptions on gorillas, and created an international demand for gorilla tourism which showed the people of Rwandan the economic value of their wildlife. Mountain gorilla numbers are now rising due to this and the ongoing support of the Diane Fossey Foundation. They are no longer classed as ‘Critically Endangered’.
John and I want to make a film to do the same for his gorillas in DRC. To bring awareness to Johns work. To show the local communities the gorillas in a different light. To promote steps towards a safe and profitable tourism industry that could secure the long term future of these apes. People cannot begin to care for things of which they are unaware and things they do not yet understand.
The Documentary Films:
We plan to shoot 3 different films, each film will target a different audience but will support each other. This will enable us to reach a wider audience whilst still delivering the depth of message we want to achieve.
One film will concentrate on Johns story as he goes on a quest to habituate a defensive silverback that has moved into a territory in the National Park John believes is key for tourism. This will be an exciting, entertaining and ultimately emotional biopic of a man who has suffered to dedicate his life to gorilla conservation.
A Second film will be an informative documentary on the importance of involving the local communities in conservation and the work of the Pole Pole Foundation. We will meet past poachers, and see how local people react to seeing the gorillas for the first time.
A series of Digital Social Media shorts to support the marketing for both films and of the work of John and the Pole Pole Foundation.
What’s the Money for?
This productions budget aims to be as cost effective as possible. The £8000 is an aim for our funding on this channel, but all in all this is completely a non-profit initiative and all funds left over will be passed on to John’s Pole Pole Foundation. Here are a few estimate costs to help you understand where your money could be going.
International Flights (with Baggage) - £1000
Local travel and 4x4 hire - $1000
Filming Permits - $1000/day
Kit, Medical, Evacuation Insurance
Equipment, Living Costs, Advertising and Marketing
Who am I?
I am Archie and I am studying a Masters in Wildlife Documentary Film-making at the UWE Bristol University. I am dedicated to making conservation films that can inform and entertain people on the issues surrounding the natural world; and that will hopefully empower others to support causes, like Johns. I have participated in Adventure film-making expeditions around the world but I am now taking the first step on my first solo project, which will hopefully allow me to progress to a career in an industry I care about.
This is John's plan! Thank you for your interest in our project. Please read the information below about this original issue, why it matters and what we are trying to do about it:
What’s the Issue?
John’s Story
Why a Film?
The Documentary Films
What’s the Money for?
Who am I?
What’s the Issue?
The Grauer’s gorilla or otherwise known as the Eastern Lowland gorilla, is the largest of the four subspecies of gorilla and therefore the largest ape on the planet. However it is also in the greatest danger, found only in the jungles of Eastern democratic Republic of Congo, it has become another forgotten victim in the midst of a much wider and horrific human conflict. The Congo has been in a militia civil war since the Rwandan genocide in 1995. Refugees and defeated warlords flooded into the forests of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. More than five million people are thought to have died in a conflict sometimes called “The Forgotten War”. It’s a war whose brutality is staggering. For example, when a notorious warlord, Laurent Nkunda, captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, in 2004, an estimated 16,000 women were raped in a single weekend (Nkunda is now in a Rwandan jail). At the moment this area is being ravaged by the world’s second deadliest Ebola crisis, which only started last year. The problems that face the communities of the DRC are huge:
Militia Violence
Severe Poverty
Ebola Endemic
International Mineral Exploitation
Refugee Crisis
This has meant the decimation of wildlife in, what used to be one of the world’s most biologically diverse jungle habitats, has gone unnoticed and unsupported. The Grauer’s gorilla are now critically endangered, there numbers have declined 80% in 20 years, and they now have been predicted for extinction within our lifetime. This is due to these threats the gorillas face:
Deforestation (Charcoal, Timber, Agriculture)
Bush Meat Industry
High and unregulated accessibility to firearms from the Wars.
Illegal Trophy Hunting
Illegal and Industrial Mining (Coltan, Gold)
Genetic Meltdown due to inbreeding mutations
Lack of Tourism
Lack of sufficient Ranger protection
The Eastern DRC is as dangerous and difficult to live in as anywhere – people struggle daily with poverty and disease, never mind the conflict – and, under the circumstances, you might think nobody would give a minute’s thought to anything like wildlife conservation; but you would be wrong. John Kahekwa has but he needs our help!
John’s Story
John Kahekwa comes from Bukavu in South Kivu, DRC, and has spent his whole life trying to look after the Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. John’s parents died when he was very young and he was taken in by his Auntie who had married a white Belgian conservationist, named Adrien Deschryver. Deschryver became a pioneer for gorilla habituation and became head warden of the national park passing on his knowledge to John. John followed in his new father’s footsteps and also became Chief Ranger. John’s gorillas were famous in the DRC and Maheshe appeared on the Congolese 5,000-franc banknote.
All of John’s gorillas became casualties to the war, he spent years combating poachers but to no avail and eventually realised that because much of the problems had its origins in poverty, the only way to keep the wildlife safe was to get the local community involved in protecting it. So he set up the Pole-Pole Foundation, devoted to bringing the interests of local people and the national park together.
Why a Film?
Thirty years ago a film came out about Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, it was called “Gorillas in the Mist”. You may have heard of it. At that time the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda were in a similar situation on the brink of extinction. The film followed American researcher Diane Fossey on her journey to habituate the apes for research. The film was widely viewed and helped change local perceptions on gorillas, and created an international demand for gorilla tourism which showed the people of Rwandan the economic value of their wildlife. Mountain gorilla numbers are now rising due to this and the ongoing support of the Diane Fossey Foundation. They are no longer classed as ‘Critically Endangered’.
John and I want to make a film to do the same for his gorillas in DRC. To bring awareness to Johns work. To show the local communities the gorillas in a different light. To promote steps towards a safe and profitable tourism industry that could secure the long term future of these apes. People cannot begin to care for things of which they are unaware and things they do not yet understand.
The Documentary Films:
We plan to shoot 3 different films, each film will target a different audience but will support each other. This will enable us to reach a wider audience whilst still delivering the depth of message we want to achieve.
One film will concentrate on Johns story as he goes on a quest to habituate a defensive silverback that has moved into a territory in the National Park John believes is key for tourism. This will be an exciting, entertaining and ultimately emotional biopic of a man who has suffered to dedicate his life to gorilla conservation.
A Second film will be an informative documentary on the importance of involving the local communities in conservation and the work of the Pole Pole Foundation. We will meet past poachers, and see how local people react to seeing the gorillas for the first time.
A series of Digital Social Media shorts to support the marketing for both films and of the work of John and the Pole Pole Foundation.
What’s the Money for?
This productions budget aims to be as cost effective as possible. The £8000 is an aim for our funding on this channel, but all in all this is completely a non-profit initiative and all funds left over will be passed on to John’s Pole Pole Foundation. Here are a few estimate costs to help you understand where your money could be going.
International Flights (with Baggage) - £1000
Local travel and 4x4 hire - $1000
Filming Permits - $1000/day
Kit, Medical, Evacuation Insurance
Equipment, Living Costs, Advertising and Marketing
Who am I?
I am Archie and I am studying a Masters in Wildlife Documentary Film-making at the UWE Bristol University. I am dedicated to making conservation films that can inform and entertain people on the issues surrounding the natural world; and that will hopefully empower others to support causes, like Johns. I have participated in Adventure film-making expeditions around the world but I am now taking the first step on my first solo project, which will hopefully allow me to progress to a career in an industry I care about.
Organizer
Archie Wilson
Organizer
