Gorillas in the Mist

Gorillas in the Mist Movie Poster

"In a land of beauty, wonder and danger, she would follow a dream, fall in love and risk her life to save the mountain gorillas from extinction.  The true adventure of Dian Fossey".  Gorillas in the Mist was an Academy Awards and Oscar nominated film, released in 1988, that told the true story of naturalist Dian Fossey's experiences with Rwandan mountain gorillas.  The role of Fossey was played by Sigourney Weaver.  The movie was a financial success and was well-received by critics.

In the movie, Fossey convinces anthropologist Louis Leakey to allow her to work for him studying gorillas in the African Congo (in the mid 1960's).  Leakey agrees and sets Fossey up with everything she needs deep in the jungle.  The political upheaval in the Congo forces Fossey to relocate to Rwanda, where she finds poaching to be a serious issue.  After National Geographic sends photographer Bob Campbell (played by Bryan Brown) to report on her work, he and Fossey fall in love.  After the relationship ends, Fossey finds herself arguing with the Rwandan government, who tends to overlook the poaching as the way of life for many natives.  Although the government provides her with a team of anti-poachers, after one of her favorite gorillas is killed, she goes on her own anti-poaching rampage, going as far as burning down the villages of poachers.  Needless to say, her efforts eventually got her killed, as she was murdered in her cabin and ultimately buried next to the gorillas she tried to save.