A new documentary about Harambe the gorilla shows unreleased photos and videos of the gorilla before he was shot dead by zoo staff.
Watch the trailer below:
Harambe was a 17-year-old silverback gorilla who was shot at the Cincinnati Zoo after a boy climbed into his enclosure.
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With fears for the child’s life, zoo staff killed the huge gorilla, saying they were left with no choice.
In the wake of his death, Harambe became an unlikely internet sensation, with many questioning if a non-lethal response could have been used – while others were left wondering why he was in a zoo in the first place.
A new feature-length documentary, released on Sunday, 24 September to tie in with World Gorilla Day, follows what happened to Harambe to explore the contentious topic of animal captivity.
“Packed with rare unreleased photos and video of Harambe, the documentary features Narration by Peter Egan, along with exclusive interviews by Will Travers OBE and Dame Virginia McKenna of Born Free Foundation, wildlife expert Ian Redmond OBE, TMZ and Hollywood Raw podcast host Dax Holt, Dan Van Coppenolle [the man who named Harambe], and Jeff McCurry, Harambe’s personal photographer whose photo of Harambe went viral that became an iconic meme,” a press release for Harambe says.
“This documentary offers insight and brings new information that has not been previously known about this tragedy.
“Using modern scientific research and understanding, the movie takes a closer look into the troubling and complex history of zoos, and how their colonial beginnings sowed the seeds of captivity that’s now deeply rooted in our cultures, sold to the public as a fun afternoon with the family.
“With fresh eyes, this documentary challenges the stories, myths, and misconceptions we have always been told - stories that have been controlled by the zoos, until now.”
The documentary ‘exposes the secrets of keeping animals locked up at the zoo for human entertainment’, calling on viewers to remember Harambe in ‘more than meme-ory on social media’.
“Let’s celebrate his name and legacy to join together for the betterment of all animals on earth, including us,” the press release continues.
“Harambe’s story sheds light on the psychological and physical damage inflicted on our closest living relatives, who pay the ultimate price for our curiosity.
“We are not just filmmakers, but direct action conservationists, having worked in the field from the Amazon to deep in the Andes mountains, we feel the movie has to be more than education.
“It has to help the communities that open their homes, hearts, and stories to us to share with the world. A portion of the movie’s proceeds will be donated to NGOs helping gorillas out of captivity and supporting those beings in the wild with every ticket sold, streaming session, or download.
“The goal of this movie is to ignite new discussions with the activists, NGOs, and zoos to create a conversation that can lead to change, and guarantee a better future for all gorillas and sentient animals worldwide.”
Harambe has a virtual world premiere on Sunday 24 September.
Topics: TV and Film, Documentaries, Animals
Jess Hardiman