Summer in the Forest

As a member of the British Royal Navy, the young Jean Vanier was stricken by the horror of the Nazi death camps, which led to a lifelong calling to do good. When he later learned how the mentally ill were labeled “idiots” and warehoused in violent asylums, he found his purpose: He created L’Arche, a community at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris that offers residential support to learning-disabled adults. This uplifting film, characterized by its stillness and peace, reveals Canadian Catholic philosopher Vanier, now in his 80s, living a vibrant life and sharing his philosophy that forming authentic relationships and honoring the weak is the path to being fully human.