Netflix Documentary: Virunga — Passports & Passions

Most people who know me are well aware that the only TV I watch is sports and that I usually only watch movies when my Dad wants to treat me to the newest screenplay and extra buttered popcorn. But, spending a Sunday with my brother was the ultimate Netflix and couch potato night, in which we cooked dinner and watched the Netflix documentary, Virunga. While I think documentaries are often biased, I also feel as though they can be educational and informative. I want to shed light on this specific documentary because I believe it’s important to be aware of what jaw-dropping things are going on within the world around us.

Ratings

There is a reason that this incredible true story received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes by critics, won 47 international film awards, and has been nominated for an Emmy and Academy Award. Virunga exposes issues that are not so well known in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the clash between corporate greed and nature conservation.

Still interested?

A large portion of the documentary takes place in Virunga National Park, a lush, bio-diverse home to several different species, located in Eastern Congo. If you weren’t aware (I wasn’t), Virunga National Park is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, but most importantly, home to the last 700-800 Mountain Gorillas in the world.

So what?

These gorillas serve as a purpose and symbol of the park and the Congo, but even though there are laws to protect the animals and vegetation within the park, it hasn’t stopped numerous poachers or enemies from killing these precious animals in other to threaten the park’s purpose. Over 130 park rangers have died in the past 15 years, dedicating their lives to protecting this park and stop greed from wiping out these magnificent creatures.

And ...?

Virunga National Park is home to a very profitable natural resource: oil. There are potential oil reserves and outside organizations, such as SOCO International, are willing to do anything to begin drilling to hit the motherload. Don’t forget that Virunga National Park is located within a country that is notorious for human violence, corruption, and exploitation. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country that has been plagued with a series of civil wars that have killed over 5 million people and is now home to the latest battle: the M23 and SOCO International vs. the Congolese government.

Who are the M23 and SOCO International?

To put it simply, they are the enemies. The M23 is an extremely violent rebel force group that has no problem invading the flora and fauna of Virunga National Park, especially if there’s money in it for them. Oh, and SOCO International? SOCO International is a British Energy company that is ready to exploit the Congo’s natural resources for some large profits. We all know that the M23 paramilitary group doesn’t care about its “image” invading and destroying an UNESCO World Heritage Site, but any big corporation like SOCO isn’t ready to have a P.R. nightmare on its hands. I’m sure you know where this is going. Sounds like something out of a movie, but this is real life in which bribery is in full force and no one seems to be too concerned about the laws that are in place to protect the park. The evil behaviors of SOCO International and the M23 are sparking a new war within the Congo that is threatening the stability of the nation and everything it has worked to achieve.

Risking it all

This documentary is spectacular because the filmmakers placed themselves in extremely dangerous situations to provide a true picture of what is occurring in this war-torn country. Many people are risking their lives to protect the Virunga National Park, whether it is as a park ranger or investigative journalist to make this documentary possible and also to shed light on how corporate greed is exploiting the impoverished nation of the Congo.

Take the time

I challenge you to take the time to educate yourself about the many present day issues that are found within the documentary, Virunga. Mix up your Netflix show schedule with this documentary and you wont be disappointed. Additionally, given the recent events that occurred in France and other nations, I think we can acknowledge the importance of being informed of the harsh realities that are occurring around the world. You never know how the issues within these countries will affect our generation, or future generations. You can watch the trailer by clicking here, or check out the documentary website here to learn more.

As of November 3rd, SOCO International is said to no longer hold "the exploration license for a block in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where it ceased operations last year amid environmental and human rights protests." After watching the documentary, let me know your thoughts and if you think SOCO will leave the region despite the fact they no longer have an exploration license.