David Attenborough returns to the Rwandan gorillas he famously encountered 48 years ago in the new Netflix documentary A Gorilla Story. The film revisits the Pablo Group, the family of apes that clambered over Attenborough during the filming of Life on Earth, a moment that remains one of the most iconic in wildlife television.
Directed by Oscar-winner James Reed and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the documentary explores the fate of the gorillas' descendants. While conservation efforts have seen numbers recover from near-extinction in the 1970s, the Pablo Group faces internal turmoil. The ageing silverback Gicurasi is challenged by the aggressive Ubwuzu, who inflicts violence on younger gorilla Imfura, leading to a tragic cycle of power struggles and grief.
Attenborough, approaching his 100th birthday, provides narration that lends an elegiac tone. He reads from his diaries about the original encounter and reflects on Pablo, the young gorilla who befriended him and later died protecting his family. The film's emotional climax comes as Attenborough says, 'I will never forget him.'
Despite the high drama, the hour-long runtime feels rushed, leaving viewers wishing for a series-length treatment. Yet the documentary's main draw remains Attenborough himself, whose presence evokes a sense of farewell to a beloved figure.
