Primate sees realist documentarian Frederick Wiseman hone his lens on the inmates of the Yerkes Primate Research Centre. A representative scientist explains the aims and outcomes of the organisation, describing the mating habits and relationships of the animals.
Direction
Wiseman's invisible hand makes you complicit in every frame.
Editing
Juxtapositions that indict without a single word of commentary.
Director
Frederick Wiseman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during rising animal rights activism, Wiseman refused interviews to let footage speak—infuriating both scientists and activists equally.
The title's double meaning reveals itself: 'primate' refers equally to the studied and the studiers, with no clear hierarchy established.
US
