Lucas : an endangered human species

In Canada, prenatal screening to detect Down syndrome is offered to all expectant mothers. Since the government program was rolled out in Quebec in 2010, approximately 95% of pregnancies in which Down syndrome was detected have been terminated. As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, documentary filmmaker Éli Laliberté asks: “Should we be imagining a world without Down syndrome?”

In addition to trying to find an answer to his question, this film is a behind-the-curtain look at the universe of Down syndrome. Beyond introducing viewers to extraordinary human beings around the world and their contributions to humankind, the documentary is full of love, compassion and humour, and raises a valid question about the value of human life, one without a straightforward answer.