“African children get guns for Christmas, European children get grapes. I want all the children in the world to be happy. I don’t know how to do that. So many mothers … I have no more words.”

I don’t think a documentary has ever moved me as much as this one did, and it was entirely unexpected – the title and the various summaries I had read made it sound more scientifically-minded than it actually turns out to be. It’s really less about the cannabalistic fish in Lake Victoria and more about the people who live around it.

The movie is almost completely devoid of editorial – even the story of the fish is presented to us exactly as it is presented to the subjects, in an older documentary projected on a screen at a conference. Only a liberal sprinkling of title cards fill in the gaps of information not shown in images or first-hand testimony. I had to dig through my reviews to find the last time I wrote about my idea of what a documentary should be – it was when I wrote about One Day in September. While I don’t mind most of the Michael Moore/ biased/ reconstruction type glossy documentaries, I don’t think there are enough of the kind that truly strive to simply document the truth and to get as close to that truth, no matter how horrific, as possible. The ultimate cinema verité. Darwin’s Nightmare, with its arresting images of African people, bare feet in rotting fish squirming with maggots, young boys smoking and sniffing a glue-like substance, kids being punched in the face and more, certainly satisfies (for want of a better word). Telethons like Comic Relief should take note – you don’t need sad pop songs and emoting celebrities over your “Call and donate now!” video clips to convince people of the horrors that are out there … just f**king show them.

It’s the kind of movie I’m not sure of whether I’ll watch again. But I’ll certainly remember it and strongly recommend it to anyone. It’s truly a must-see movie, using every breath it takes from you to show or say something of real importance. It puts so many movies to genuine shame at how little they expose or accomplish. It truly opens your eyes and makes you want to do something. If I’d seen it in time and been able to vote, this would’ve got mine at this year’s Oscars. Penguins my arse.

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