The story of Pablo, a mountain gorilla who survived losing his mother in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, has inspired a Netflix documentary that won the Golden Panda Award, one of the highest honours in wildlife filmmaking.
The documentary, A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, won Best Overall Production at the 2026 Wildscreen Panda Awards held in Bath, United Kingdom, on October 22. According to the organisers, the film follows generations of Pablo’s family, combining historical footage with new scenes filmed in Rwanda.
Speaking when the documentary premiered in April, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Chief Tourism Officer Irène Murerwa said, “This documentary provides an opportunity to share that story with global audiences,” highlighting Rwanda’s progress in protecting mountain gorillas.
Pablo first attracted international attention in 1978 when British wildlife filmmaker David Attenborough visited Volcanoes National Park to film his television series Life on Earth.
During the visit, Attenborough encountered the young gorilla, then approximately three years old. Pablo climbed onto him, creating one of the most memorable moments of the filmmaker’s career.
However, Pablo later lost his mother, leaving him vulnerable at an age when young gorillas still depend heavily on maternal care.
His survival became possible with the help of Beethoven, the dominant silverback in the group, who provided protection and care as he grew.
Pablo eventually became a silverback and established his own family group in 1993. According to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the group later reached 65 members, becoming the largest ever recorded by its researchers.
Although Pablo disappeared in 2008, his descendants continued living in Rwanda’s forests, allowing researchers and filmmakers to document their lives across generations.
The production team spent more than 250 days filming mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park during 2023 and 2024.
Filming was restricted to approximately one hour with the animals each day to minimise disturbance. Reaching the gorillas sometimes required several hours of walking through mountainous forests.
Directed by James Reed, who previously worked on the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher, the film combines new recordings with Attenborough’s original footage and personal memories from 1978.
Produced by Silverback Films in association with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, the documentary became available internationally on Netflix on April 17, 2026.
The production also benefited Rwandan professionals. According to BAFTA Albert, six locally based filmmakers, including five Rwandans, participated in the project, receiving a combined 75 days of employment.
Workshops organised with RDB and Imitana Productions also provided opportunities for local filmmakers to learn from experienced international professionals.
The documentary’s success highlights decades of conservation efforts that have helped mountain gorilla populations recover.
In the early 1980s, approximately 250 mountain gorillas remained in the Virunga Mountains, threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
Today, more than 1,060 mountain gorillas live across the Virunga Massif and Bwindi ecosystem in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to RDB.
Rwanda has contributed to their protection through conservation programmes, responsible tourism and initiatives such as Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony.
Nearly 50 years after Pablo’s first encounter with Attenborough, his family continues to live in Rwanda’s forests.
Their story, now recognised internationally through an award-winning documentary, demonstrates how sustained conservation efforts can protect wildlife and preserve its history for future generations.
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