Watch Silent Forests

Silent Forests is a 2019 documentary that brings to light the illegal poaching and trafficking of African forest elephants. The film is directed by Mariah Wilson and co-produced by Wilson and Lisa Rudin. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. The film takes the audience on a journey through the dense Central African forests of Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. The audience sees the habits of the elusive animals that call these forests their homes, and learns how the illegal wildlife trade is driving these majestic animals to extinction.

The film opens with striking images of the forest, with a voiceover explaining that this pristine paradise is turning into a supply chain for the illegal ivory trade. It introduces the main players in the story: forest rangers, scientists, and conservationists who are all working tirelessly to protect these animals from extinction.

The audience follows Sidonie Asseme, a passionate activist and conservationist, as she leads a team of rangers into the forest to find and remove traps set by poachers. Her deep love and admiration for the elephants and for her work come through in every moment. The team works tirelessly in the difficult terrain, removing traps and doing their best to protect the elephants.

The viewers are also introduced to Jean Paul Doudoumo, a scientist who has dedicated his life to studying the forest elephants. The audience sees the intricate process of tracking elephants and studying their behavior. The footage of him in the field is breathtaking and informative, and shows the amount of work that goes into saving these magnificent creatures.

As the narrative progresses, viewers get to see how the illegal ivory trade is affecting the elephant population. The poachers responsible for this trade are shown to be a part of a complex global network that operates across borders.
The film does not hold back in showing the brutality of the trade, particularly in a particularly harrowing scene about halfway through the movie. With each elephant that is illegally hunted and killed, the forest's wild places become a little quieter, a little more still.

The movie provides a good overview of the various ways different organizations across the globe work to dismantle the ivory trade. We see what it takes for the activists to do their work, the challenges they face, and the bravery they exhibit to make a difference. And it's not just ivory. The film shows other illegal activities like those concerning bushmeat, which are also driving the elephants to the brink of extinction.

Silent Forests is a very powerful and poignant documentary. It is a visual representation of the tragic loss of the elephant population in Africa caused by illegal poaching and hunting for ivory. The film displays the hard work and dedication of the individuals devoted to protecting the elephants and their environment are particularly inspiring. Moreover, the documentary is beautifully filmed and well-captured, making it even more compelling.

In the end, Silent Forests is an incredibly important film, particularly in terms of engaging a wider audience about the importance of wildlife conservation. It's presented in such a way that it becomes hard not to care, to feel an obligation to do something to help the creatures who call the forests their home.

Silent Forests is a 2019 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8.