Living with chimpanzees [electronic resource] : portrait of a family / by Flavia Fontes.

New York, NY : Filmakers Library, 1996.

English

This edition in English.

1 online resource (53 min.).

Here is the entertaining story of an unusual nuclear family, Roberta and Phil and the two chimpanzees they have adopted, Charlie and his half sister Casey. It shows the joys and challenges of life with our closest primate relatives. It investigates their adaptive abilities when removed from their natural habitat, their amazing mental abilities, and the bonding love that exists between chimpanzees and humans when they share such intimate space. We see how chimps adapt to domestic life and even become like surrogate children. Sociable and affectionate, they dine at the table with less than perfect manners, they watch television, play ball games and take walks in the woods with their human caretakers. The living room is their playground with ropes and swings hanging from the ceiling. Yet, they are unpredictable and their strength makes them capable of inflicting harm.The filmmaker lived with this unusual family on and off for three years to capture the spontaneous and revealing moments. She observes Charlie learning to use keys, painting pictures, and throwing kisses at a friendly voice on the telephone. But mostly it is the intimate, affectionate interaction of man and chimp in day to day life that will intrigue animal behaviorists as well as general audiences.

Originally released as DVD.
Title from resource description page (viewed May 24, 2011).

For College; Adult audiences.

American Psychological Association, 1996
Finalist, Animal Behavior Film Festival, 1996
Parnu (Estonia) Int'l Visual Anthropology Competition, 1996

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