Directed by Michael Apted • 1994 • United States
Starring Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson

Inspired by the true story of Poto and Cabengo—the American twins raised largely in isolation who were found to have developed their own language—this poignant drama soars thanks to an extraordinary, Academy Award–nominated performance from Jodie Foster. When doctor Jerry Lovell (Liam Neeson) discovers a young woman (Foster) living in seclusion in the backwoods of North Carolina, he is intrigued by her unusual behavior and unique pattern of speech. Together with a psychologist (Natasha Richardson), Lovell is determined to pierce Nell’s private world and protect her from the courts—and a life of scientific study. In a race against time and a system bent on shattering her spirit, he and Nell forge a connection that will transform them both.