Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

Jun 15, 2016

0h 58m

★ 7.6

Overview

Documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only 'talking' gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson. Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. Penny has now been with Koko for over 40 years and claims Koko can reveal fresh insights into the workings of an animal's mind. Koko's unique life with Penny has been filmed every step of the way. Over 2,000 hours of footage chart the most dramatic moments - Penny's battle to keep Koko from being taken back to the zoo in which she was born, Penny's clash with academic critics who doubted her claims and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten.

Genres

Documentary

TV Movie

Production Companies

BBC

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Narrator (voice)

Bertie Carvel

Self

Koko

Self

Penny Patterson

Self

Dale Djerassi

Self

Lisa Schuster

Self

Ann Southcombe

Self

Mitzi Phillips

Self (archive footage)

Robin Williams

Self (archive footage)

Leonardo DiCaprio

Self (archive footage)

Peter Gabriel

Self (archive footage)

Isabella Rossellini

Self (archive footage)

William Shatner

This film is a letter to my friend Vincent who died ten years ago. Vincent was Deaf. He introduced me to his language, his culture, his world. Through Vincent ‘s life, the film will examine the roots of the distress that plagues the Deaf, and also explore a rich and fascinating world, a people that struggles to preserve its Sign Language and Culture.

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No Image Available

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Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

Overview

Genres

Production Companies

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People Trailers