The Invisible Extinction

A film by Steven Lawrence & Sarah Schenck

Two globetrotting microbiologists race to save our vanishing microbes

Two globetrotting microbiologists, Gloria Dominguez-Bello and Marty Blaser, race to save our vanishing microbes before it’s too late.  The Invisible Extinction joins them on this urgent quest from the USA to Venezuela, China, Israel, and Switzerland, revealing how the overuse of antibiotics, elective C-sections, and processed foods are driving the destruction of our inner ecology, which is happening even faster than climate change.

At the same time, the film tells the stories of three patients, in the USA and China, who suffer from life-threatening diseases triggered by microbial loss and are trying experimental treatments that hold hope.  As the Covid-19 pandemic hits, Marty pivots to focus on how our microbes may help protect us from the virus and future pandemics, while Gloria spearheads the creation of an international microbe vault to safeguard precious specimens.

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Director

Steven Lawrence & Sarah Schenck

Producer

Sarah Schenck & Steven Lawrence

Runtime

85 minutes

Rights Represented

Global Rights, Educational Rights

Captions Available

English

Language

English

Press

“A really important film for people to see”

- NPR Film Week

“…a captivating, eye-opening and insightful documentary”

- The NYC Movie Guru

“Scientists Raise Alarm About Threats to the Human Microbiome”

- People.com
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Festival & Awards

Official Selection:  CPH:DOX

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The Invisible Extinction

Two globetrotting microbiologists race to save our vanishing microbes

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