Working on "La Pirogue, " his third feature, was deeply affecting, he said, and the result had made his wife cry "like I've never seen her cry before".

CNN: 'La Pirogue' takes La Croisette: African cinema at Cannes

And when the activities on offer include face-to-face encounters with habituated west lowland gorilla families, jungle walks with local Baka (or pygmy) guides and pirogue trips downriver in search of birds and other wildlife, it is hardly a surprise that Odzala has been garnering such attention.

BBC: Gorilla spotting in the Republic of Congo