The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Brings Decades of Gorilla Research to New Documentary on Historic and Record-Breaking Gorilla Family

“A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough” is produced by Silverback Films and premieres globally on Netflix on April 17, providing an intimate look at a real-life gorilla dynasty with ties to Dian Fossey

ATLANTA, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the world’s longest-running and largest organization dedicated to gorilla conservation, served as scientific advisors on the highly anticipated Netflix documentary “A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough.”

More than six years in the making, the film draws on nearly six decades of research by the Fossey Fund and was produced by Silverback Films in association with Appian Way Productions and directed by Academy Award–winner James Reed, best known for “My Octopus Teacher.”

Narrated by David Attenborough, “A Gorilla Story” is an intimate documentary following the remarkable history of the Pablo family of mountain gorillas living on the forested slopes of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The group traces its roots to research first begun by pioneering primatologist Dian Fossey, whose groundbreaking work transformed the world’s understanding of gorillas and helped spark global conservation efforts. Fossey’s research famously inspired her book “Gorillas in the Mist,” which was later adapted into an Oscar-nominated film starring Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey.

Pablo was originally observed as part of Dian Fossey’s historic Group 5, one of the first gorilla groups she studied beginning in 1967. David Attenborough famously encountered the young Pablo up close while filming “Life on Earth” for the BBC in the 1970s. This playful gorilla grew up to become a dominant silverback and formed his own group. Through successive leadership, it would eventually grow to a record 65 individuals — the largest mountain gorilla group ever recorded.

“A Gorilla Story” traces Pablo’s lineage and reveals the dramatic and deeply social lives of mountain gorillas, from family bonds and leadership struggles to everyday moments within the group. Since the Pablo group formed, it has been monitored by researchers from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, making it one of the longest continuously studied gorilla families in the world.

“We are thrilled to see the story of the Pablo family shared with a global audience,” said Dr. Tara Stoinski, President, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Our teams have studied this group for decades, and that long-term research was essential to telling the full story of this family, dating back to Dian Fossey’s time, and to interpret what viewers see on screen — from subtle social interactions to major life events. It’s a powerful example of how sustained scientific research can bring extraordinary animal stories to life.”

As advisors, the Fossey Fund provided field expertise, behavioral interpretation and unique insights from its decades of research on the Pablo family to help shape the film’s narrative. Working closely with the production team, Fossey Fund scientists provided key logistical support and helped ensure that important moments captured on camera were accurately understood by translating complex behaviors into a compelling and authentic story about the lives of gorillas.

“A Gorilla Story” is a tribute to the complex and awe-inspiring lives of mountain gorillas, and it would not have been possible without the conservation and research efforts of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund,” said Alastair Fothergill, co-director of Silverback Films and Executive Producer of the film. “The organization’s decades of scientific knowledge allowed us to tell the full story of these gorillas in ways that would otherwise have been impossible.”

Today, mountain gorillas represent one of conservation’s rare success stories. Once pushed toward extinction, they are now the only great ape species whose population is increasing — a recovery made possible in part through the Fossey Fund’s decades of sustained conservation, research and collaboration with local communities.

“A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough” premieres globally on Netflix on April 17. To learn more about the gorillas featured in the documentary, follow @savinggorillas on social media or visit gorillafund.org.

About The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is the world's longest-running and largest organization dedicated to gorilla conservation. Established in 1967 by famed primatologist Dian Fossey, the Fossey Fund works in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to protect and study critically endangered wild gorillas and their habitats, and to support the people who share the gorillas’ forest home. For more, visit: gorillafund.org. Follow us on social @savinggorillas.

Attachments

Erika Archibald, Ph.D.
earchibald@gorillafund.org

Rivers Agency:
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Ubi from "A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough" (Ben Cherry / Silverback Films / Netflix)

Young male Ubusugire (Ubi) from "A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough."

Pablo lies on top of Sir David Attenborough (John Sparks / Nature Picture Library)

Sir David Attenborough with Pablo from "A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough"

Ubwuzu from "A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough" (Ben Cherry / Silverback Films / Netflix)

Silverback Ubwuzu from "A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough."

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