Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey

The Michael Apted directed 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist stars Sigourney Weaver in the lead role of scientist Dian Fossey. Inspired by the real life Fossey’s written account of her work, the story follows the passionate woman’s commitment to living near and observing the habits of African mountain gorillas. She first works in the Congo with the help of an animal tracker, but political upheaval forces her to move to Rwanda.

In Rwanda, Fossey becomes enraged by the amount of gorilla poaching going on and tries to work to stop it. She also continues to work with her beloved gorillas, including one gorilla named Digit with whom she becomes very close. She also falls in love with a photographer who comes to observe her work, but ultimately her love for her work is deeper than her love for the man. Her intense passion for the work and her desire to protect the gorillas leads to mental instability and she comes into dramatic conflict with the poachers and the government, a situation almost sure to end in tragedy.

The film was nominated for five Academy awards, including Weaver for best actress and Maurice Jarre for the moving score.