Disenchanted Forest

Synopsis

Dr. Anne Russon, a primate psychologist, studies orangutan intelligence in the Bornean rainforest. The documentary follows the work of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, focusing on projects at Wanariset, Nyaru Menteng, and Mawas. It details the rehabilitation of orphaned orangutans and their return to the wild. Dr. Willie Smits leads efforts to rescue and reintroduce these animals, while Dr. Carl Van Schaik discusses the implications of their declining populations for understanding human evolution. The film emphasizes the cultural knowledge that orangutans pass down through generations.