Watching Summer in the Forest, a new documentary that screens this coming week at the Gene Siskel Film Center, I discovered a new hero in Jean Vanier. An author, philosopher, and administrator, Vanier founded L’Arche, a community based outside of Paris for individuals with developmental disabilities, in the 1960s and continues to manage it today. His goal for L’Arche was to create an inclusive community where anyone could live a meaningful life, and Summer in the Forest shows multiple residents as they socialize, work, (or, in some cases, enjoy their retirement), and reflect on what it means to be happy. The film also presents Vanier, now in his late 80s, as he reflects on his long, productive life. He comes across as compassionate, wise, and heroically patient, having devoted decades to helping people. Vanier also seems to have preserved a childlike sense of joy—he claims that play is an important part of his work—and his ability to derive pleasure from everyday moments conveys an enlightened perspective.
The proof of Vanier’s achievement lies in the meaningful lives he’s inspired at L’Arche. Summer in the Forest ranges wildly in tone in its depiction of the residents; some of these passages are understated and moving, while others are unbearably sentimental. Nonetheless, they all show people with moderate to severe disabilities enjoying their lives and demonstrating self-awareness and self-determination. In one of the most effective sequences, an elderly resident goes to walk in a park and visit a memorial to French soldiers who died in a Nazi concentration camp. The resident reflects thoughtfully on history and his duty in remembering it; his observation mirrors something Vanier says in an interview about volunteering to assist concentration camp survivors as a teenager. Seeing evidence of the worst of humanity can inspire one to be a better person, and if nothing else, Summer in the Forest provides a testament to people who have been so inspired. v
Directed by Randall Wright. In English and subtitled Arabic and French. 108 min. Fri 5/4, 3:30 PM; Sat 5/5, 7:30 PM; Sun 5/6, 2:45 PM; and Mon 5/7, 7:30 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, 312-846-2800, siskelfilmcenter.org, $11.
