RHINO documentary brings Kenya’s conservation frontline to the big screen

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 27 — A documentary chronicling the lives and work of Kenyan rangers protecting black rhinos has premiered in Africa, putting the people behind the country’s conservation efforts at the centre of the story.

RHINO, directed by Tom Martienssen and narrated by actor Tom Hardy, was screened at Trademark Hotel in Nairobi on Saturday, marking its first premiere on the African continent after its London premiere.

The event brought together conservationists, rangers, veterinary experts, diplomats and other stakeholders, including US Charge d’Affaires Susan Burns and UK High Commissioner Matt Baugh.

The film follows Kenyan rangers and conservation teams over five years as they work to protect black rhinos and rebuild populations of one of Africa’s most threatened species.

For Martienssen, the project began with a different expectation.

He said he first came to Kenya eight years ago expecting to find another story about the rhino crisis, but instead encountered what he described as a story of conservation success.

“I actually found was a story of unmatched success,” Martienssen said.

He later returned to Kenya and spent five years following rangers and conservation teams, documenting their work and the risks involved in protecting the animals.

Martienssen said the experience gave him an opportunity to document the people behind Kenya’s conservation achievements.

He thanked the rangers and conservation partners for granting him access to their work and trusting him to tell their story.

The director also called for greater investment in Kenya’s capacity to tell its own conservation stories, saying future projects should increasingly be driven by Kenyan storytellers who live alongside and understand the communities involved.

A key part of the documentary is the 2024 translocation of 21 black rhinos to Loisaba Conservancy, an operation aimed at establishing a new population after the species had been absent from the area for decades. The relocation involved multiple conservation organisations and years of planning.

Loisaba Board Chair Sophie Kinyua said the film captures an important element of conservation that is sometimes overlooked — the people doing the work.

“The rangers on the front lines, their dedication, their sacrifice, their hope,” Kinyua said.

She said the film shows that conservation is not an abstract pursuit, but a deeply human endeavour.

The screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Martienssen, rangers, conservation leaders and veterinary experts.

The discussion explored the changing nature of rhino conservation in Kenya, including the roles of rangers, communities, conservancies and international partners in protecting the species.

For Martienssen, the documentary is ultimately about more than wildlife.

He said the film seeks to capture the people, dedication and trust behind Kenya’s conservation progress and ensure their stories reach a wider audience.