Leisurely and pleasant, “Summer in the Forest” isn’t the usual documentary involving mental illness: It’s neither case-pleadingly issue-oriented nor a portrait of individual struggle and inspiration. Instead, Randall Wright’s feature simply observes the day-to-day lives of several long-term residents at L’Arche, a communal facility in France. Admittedly, the state-run L’Arche is unusual — the closest one might possibly get to this kind of institution in the U.S. would doubtless be an expensive private one. Still, Wright’s film provides considerable insight into how various special-needs conditions might be better handled by society than they are presently. The documentary plays an assortment of week-long and shorter runs around the U.S.
Less than a single lifetime — barely a blip on the historical radar — has passed since the mentally or even physically disabled were commonly shut away in often inhumane asylums designed less for their benefit than...
Less than a single lifetime — barely a blip on the historical radar — has passed since the mentally or even physically disabled were commonly shut away in often inhumane asylums designed less for their benefit than...
- 4/5/2018
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.