04/07/2017
Humane Society's 2017 Genesis Award for OUTSTANDING TV DOCUMENTARY! Market Road Film's Explorer: Battle for Virunga – National Geographic channel
Producer/Director: Tony Ge**er, Host: Justin Hall, Camera: Tim Grucza, Sound/2nd Camera: Joe Bender, Field Producer: Melanie Gouby, Associate Producer: Taylor Hom, Editor: Luis Alvarez y Alvarez, Score: Tyler Strickland, Graphics: Stephanie Gould Executive Producers: Jeff Hasler, Brian Lovett, Jared Lipworth, Melissa Wood, Dave Snyder, Margaret Ebrahim
For the 31st year, the annual Genesis Awards serve as a reminder of the importance of all forms of media in helping us expose animal protection issues. From documentaries highlighting the ivory trade and endangered gorillas to magazine and newspaper stories that reveal the scourge of pig farms and puppy mills, the 2016 Genesis winners are proof that the media are an invaluable ally in our fight to protect animals.
Battle for Virunga is a fascinating exploration of Virunga National Park on the frontlines of conservation. At two million acres, the park is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most lawless areas on the continent. Riven by war, corruption and ruthless militias, the country is home to half of Africa’s mountain gorillas. Rangers are outnumbered 20-1 by poachers and 140 of them have been killed in recent years trying to protect these gentle animals. Not only are gorillas hunted for bush meat, but they’ve become victims of the fight to control the lucrative charcoal industry so the forests where the gorillas live are gradually being eroded to supply hardwood for charcoal. The documentary looks at why Virunga has become such a contested territory, which has to do with its Belgian colonial past. This long-standing battle for the land has bred a disregard for the gentle gorillas who are the victims of a destructive cycle of conflict and poverty.
