Wildstar Films tells Kanzi: The Ape that Could Talk story

Kanzi: The Ape that Could Talk (Photo: Ape Initiative)

NEWS BRIEF: Fremantle-owned factual prodco Wildstar Films is in production on a documentary telling the real-life story of famous ape Kanzi, who died last week.

In a partnership with Kanzi’s home, Ape Initiative in Iowa, the doc has access to hundreds of boxes of tapes documenting the 45 years of the bonobo’s life. Kanzi was the subject of studies on great ape language, was taught to ‘speak’ English and communicate via picture boards, and was able to understand thousands of words.