Lucy, the Human Chimp (TV Movie 2021)

Lucy, the Human Chimp: Directed by Alex Parkinson. With Lorna Nickson Brown, Matthew Brenher, Jacinta Mulcahy, Janis Carter. In the 1960s chimpanzee Lucy was raised as a human in an experiment conducted by psychologists from the University of Oklahoma. When Lucy was taken to live on an island in The Gambia a young student, Janis, lived with her for 6 years.

“There are many stories about u0026quot;humanu0026quot; chimps; chimpanzees raised as humans, who fit in well with their adopted families until they reach maturity, whereupon they become tragic creatures, unable to live as either man or animal. This film is in fact more interesting than its title suggests; as what it really does is tell the story of the attempt to re-animalise its nominal protagonist, and of Janis, the woman who set herself the task of reintroducing her into the wild. As such, itu0026#39;s more a story of a simian human, who ultimately was driven from the chimpanzee community in the same way any chimp who loses a dominance struggle might be ejected. This person, however, who provides most of the narrative to the story, is not only still alive, but also intelligent and clear sighted; and has in fact devoted the rest of her life to rehabilitating chimpanzees, albeit with less intimate involvement than she had with her first patient. Itu0026#39;s an absorbing story, illuminating by Janisu0026#39;s innate decency and her insight into what makes us human, and what we share with our closest living relatives.”