I was so busy pretending to speak like a chimp on Monday that I completely forgot to mention this brilliant part of the behind the scenes documentary.

It's a rare treat to find a 30 minute making of special feature as engrossing - and moving - as a DVD's main release, especially when it includes a chimp sign language chart.

So here it is, in case you need another reason to buy the awesome Project Nim on DVD:

 

  

If you're still not convinced (and you should be - it's one of the best documentaries of the year), read our Project Nim DVD review.

 

Director: James Marsh
Cast: Bob Angelini, Bern Cohen, Reagan Leonard
Certificate: 12
Release Date: Monday 9th January
RRP: £15.99

Chimp is born. Chimp called Nim. Man take Nim. Man teach Nim sign. Nim learn words: Orange. Play. Hug. Steve. Nim make sentence: "Give orange Nim." "Nim eat orange." "Hug me Nim."

Nim wear jumper. Jumper is red. Nim look cute. Ivan say "Awww..."

Director: James Marsh
Cast: Bob Angelini, Bern Cohen, Reagan Leonard
Certificate: 12A
Trailer

Chimp is born. Chimp called Nim. Man take Nim. Man teach Nim sign. Nim learn words: Give orange Nim. Nim eat orange. Hug me Nim.

Nim wear jumper. Jumper is red. Nim look cute. Ivan say "awww".

We meet Steph. Steph raise Nim. Nim hug Steph. Steph Nim close. (Not like that.)

Nim act human. Nim use toilet. Nim like cat. Nim hump cat. Naughty Nim.

I cannot wait for Friday 12th August. Why? Because the second week in August will see nothing other than FULL-ON MONKEY WAR. 

Yes, Project Nim and Rise of the Planet of the Apes will be getting their filthy paws all over each other and monkey-slapping their arses to death in the foyer of your local cinema. 

The incredible thing about this simian oblivion is that both films look just a little bit amazing. On the one hand, you have Deep Blue Sea 2: Apes Will Rise, starring James Franco and Brian Cox. On the other hand, you have an Oscar-winning director introducing the cutest chimpanzee of all time.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Project Nim. Who will win the big primate showdown? There's only one way to find out...

 

Director: James Marsh
Cast: Bob Inglersoll, Bob Angelini, Bern Cohen
Certificate: TBC
Release Date: Friday 12th August

From the Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmakers behind MAN ON WIRE, James Marsh and Simon Chinn, comes the story of Nim the chimpanzee.

In the 1970s Nim became the focus of a landmark experiment which aimed to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child.

Following Nim’s extraordinary journey through human society, and the enduring impact he makes on the people he meets along the way, the film is an unflinching and unsentimental biography of an animal we tried to make human.

What we learn about his true nature – and indeed our own – is comic, revealing and profoundly unsettling.

 

NEW Clip: Herb Leaves

 

 

 

 

NEW Clip: Life with Stephanie

 

 

 

 

Trailer

 

 

 

Project Nim is out on Friday 12th August - the same day as Rise of the Planet of the Apes. See what we think will happen when Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Project Nim wage full-on chimpanzee war.