Continuing a tradition of giving that goes back several years, Disneynature has announced that their upcoming Earth Day film "Chimpanzee" will help aid habitat restoration for threatened primates.
The nature documentary studio has teamed up with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) for a special "See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees" program. According to a release, for every moviegoer who sees "Chimpanzee" during the film's opening week (April 20-26, 2012), Disneynature will make a donation to JGI through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in order to protect chimpanzees and their habitats.
"The Jane Goodall Institute is proud to work so closely with Disneynature on the release of CHIMPANZEE," said Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. "JGI has been working in Africa for almost 35 years following on from my research begun in 1960. We are thrilled to extend our impact and efforts through this collaboration to support and celebrate such a wonderful film. Together, we can truly make a difference and are thrilled to have Disneynature join our efforts to protect chimpanzee habitats, care for orphaned chimpanzees in the Republic of Congo and educate a new generation of young people and connect them to nature."
Previous fundraising campaigns by Disneynature have included habitat protection in Africa (2011's "Africa Cats"), preservation of threatened coral reefs (2010's "Oceans"), and the planting of more than 2.7 million trees in Brazil's Atlantic forest (2009's "Earth").
"Chimpanzee," unlike the previous films above, narrows in on one little chimp named Oscar and the dramatic events that happen in his young life. The trailer alone is enough to pull at the heartstrings -- so I'm hopeful, especially in light of the fundraising campaign, that this one does well in April.
Check out a trailer for the flick below.