April 13, 2020

A New Documentary on Jane Goodall: The Hope

by Hanna Smit, JGI Canada

Earth Day is one of our favourite days of the year, and this year is no different.

On April 22, the world premiere of ‘Jane Goodall: The Hope’ will take viewers through chapters of Dr. Goodall’s journey in the sixty years since her groundbreaking discoveries in Gombe researching wild chimpanzees. Where the 2016 documentary JANE ends, this new series begins, showcasing the progression and transformation Jane undertook from scientist to activist.

This new documentary highlights the trajectory of Dr. Jane’s activism, the creation of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) as well as the formation of community-centred conservation programs implemented in regions near wild chimpanzee habitat. The documentary also covers the creation of Roots & Shoots, JGI’s youth program that now has thousands of members in more than 50 countries all around the globe leading projects that are helping people, animals and the environment. ‘The Hope’ also depicts Dr. Jane’s impressive mission to ignite positive change globally, causing her to travel nearly 300 days a year and to speak out on a number of major issues ranging from human rights to climate crisis. Told through a combination of archival footage, present-day stories and on-camera interviews, ‘Jane Goodall: The Hope’ is an inspirational story that explores Goodall’s vast legacy and charts the many paths that stem from one woman’s hope for a better future.

“This powerful special aims to shed a new light on how Jane’s commitment to her cause has transformed the way in which we think about wildlife conservation,” said Janet Han Vissering, senior vice president of production and development for National Geographic Global Networks. “Now, more than ever, it’s important to highlight stories of hope that inspire viewers to work together to protect our planet. Jane revolutionized our understanding of the natural world, and we are honored to be able to continue celebrating her legacy as one of the most influential women of our time.”

Jane Goodall: The Hope is available on National Geographic channel, iTunes, Amazon Prime or Google Movies.