Professor Herbert Terrace started Project Nim in the 1970's, in order to show that humans can communicate with their closest animal relative: the chimp, using American Sign Language.
The chimp involved in this project, Nim, was taken from his mother and placed in the care of a family from Manhattan - Stephanie Lafarge, a former psychology student with three children. Nim was raised as though he were a human child -with Stephanie even breast-feeding him - and was taught sign language.
Nim quickly learns sign language within a few short months and his human family find they can hold conversations with him. However, Nim's natural tendencies as a chimpanzee cause him to wreck furniture in the house, as well as lashing out and biting at his human family. When Nim is sold into medical research as a result of his misbehaviour, it is up to his human family to rescue him from his isolation.
Directed by: James Marsh