Mélanie

A fairly terrible, taken-in-a-rush portrait of an amazing woman. Mélanie Gouby is a French journalist who features in Virunga, a stirring documentary about a national park in Congo. The park and its wildlife, including some extremely rare mountain gorillas, are under threat since oil was discovered in the region. Mélanie spent two years putting together a dossier proving that a British oil company was bribing both park rangers and rebel groups in order that they could begin illegal drilling. She and the other people in the film, as well as the filmmakers themselves, are incredibly courageous and inspiring.

More EIFF portraits.