Synopsis

Two renowned scientists race to save our vanishing microbes before it's too late.

The Invisible Extinction spotlights the extraordinary work and charismatic personalities of renowned scientists Martin Blaser, and his partner in the lab and in life, Gloria Dominguez-Bello, as they endeavor to save the vanishing microbes that are essential for our survival.

The film joins them on this urgent quest from the USA to Venezuela, China, Israel, and Switzerland, showing us 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.

As the Covid-19 pandemic hits, Blaser pivots to focus on how our microbes may help protect us from the virus and future pandemics, while Dominguez-Bello spearheads the creation of an international microbe vault to safeguard precious bugs that may help cure chronic illnesses.

Filmmakers

Scientists

Funders

A Grant for this film was generously provided by the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program with support from Sandbox Films

Major Funders
Neil & Anna Rasmussen Foundation
Seerave Foundation
The Malka Fund
The Veg Fund

Additional Funders
Ruth Clapper
Eileen Donohue
Victoria Feltman
Peter Lawrence
Kim Spencer
Nicholas B. Zoullas

Executive Producers 
Gerry Ohrstrom
Thomas Campbell Jackson
Andrew Creighton
Raja Dhir
Ara Katz
Neil & Anna Rasmussen
Elisabeth Rees & David Rees

Co-Executive Producers
Mitchell Blutt
Peter Emch
Winifred Ohrstrom Nichols


The Invisible Extinction was completed with the support of the Women Make Movies Production Assistance Program Distribution Advisory Services

Credits

A Microbe Media Production

A Film by Sarah Schenck & Steven Lawrence

Produced & Directed by Steven Lawrence & Sarah Schenck

Inspired by the work of Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, PhD, & Martin J. Blaser, MD, and Blaser's book Missing Microbes.

Editor & Senior Producer Russell Greene  

Co-Producer Elijah Stevens

Composer Hahn Rowe

Executive Producers Gerry Ohrstrom, Thomas Campbell Jackson, Andrew Creighton, Raja Dhir, Ara Katz, Neil & Anna Rasmussen, Elisabeth Rees & David Rees

Co-Executive Producers Mitchell Blutt, Peter Emch, Winifred Ohrstrom Nichols

Contributing Producer
Ted Barnett

Inspired by the work of Martin Blaser and Gloria Dominguez-Bello and by the book “Missing Microbes” by Martin J. Blaser, MD

Featuring (in order of appearance)  
Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello
Martin Blaser
The Villagers of Kanarakuni, Jitakwaña, & Surukuma
Genia Blaser
Theresa, Roger, Aryana Dalomba, & Tatyana Phillips
Eran, Shira, Yoav, & Tamar Segal
Eran, Hila, & Inbal Elinav
Cameron, Brian, Libby, & Sophia Corcoran
Talal Chatila
Amy Thieringer
Adriana Pericchi Dominguez
Elizabeth Hohmann
Elaine Yu
Alicia Cole
Lan Canhui
You Xin, Lin Xhi Wei,  & Liu Xintong (Tongtong)
Zang Zining (Ningning), Li Li, Zang Hong Lun, & Zang Zi Tong
Jia Shu Qin
Manuel Fankhauser

Line Producer
Steven Lawrence

Cinematography
Thorsten Thielow
Allie Humenuk
Craig Marsden
Axel Baumann
Tom Bergmann
P.H. O'Brien
Steven Lawrence
Ingrid Uribe
Stephen McCarthy
Martina Radwan
Peter Nicoll
Rob Fruchtman
Nikki Bramley
Maria Luisa Gambale
Margaret Sclafani

Additional Cinematography
Joshua Atesh Litle
Stephen Matter
Matt Dickie
Phil Kiene

Assistant Camera
Nancy Serna Guerrero 
Stephen Matter
Laura Nespola
Matt Planer
Scott Ruderman
Lisa Vidal
Eric Walker


Sound Recording

Richard Fleming
John O’Connor
Mario Cardenas
Mark Maloof
Nikola Chapelle
Len Schmitz
Steven Lawrence
Steve Bores
Drake Roy


Venezuelan Amazon Cinematography

Oscar Noya Alarcon

Israel

Field Producer
Hagar Alroey

Cinematography
Danor Glaser
Eyal Ben Yaish

Additional Cinematography
Hagar Alroey

Sound Recording
Misha Spektor
Oren Bein

Production Assistant/ Driver
Niv Mayor

Production Equipment Provided by
AG Production Solutions

Weizmann Institute Coordination
Dikla Kislev
Miri Klein
Gizel Maimon

Beijing

Field Producer
Yimin Zhuang

Cinematography
Tian Li

Additional Cinematography
Shen Mi

Assistant Camera
Wang Hong Wei

Sound Recordists
Qiao Xin
Zhang Nan
Li Shuo

Drivers
Hao Da Xing
Liu Shi Fu

Beijng - Dr. You’s Clinic

Camera

Martin Blaser
Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello 

Shenzhen / Shanghai  

Field Producer / Director
Long Miaoyuan, Storyfarm Productions 

Line Producer(Shanghai)
Yann Ma 

Cinematography
Long Miaoyuan  

Second Camera
Wang Zhenquan

Assistant Camera
Harry Fang

Assistant Camera
Yann Ma

Sound
Yang Yan (Shenzhen)
Kai Wang (Shanghai)

Driver
Li Xixiang

Switzerland

Cinematography

Adrian Stähli 

Sound Recordist
Dieter Meyer 

Location Coordinator
Manuel Fankhauser 

Additional Editing
Alex Ricciardi 

Assistant Editors
Eren Gulfidan
Daniel Sznajderman 

Editorial Consultant
Richard Hankin 

Additional Editorial Consultants
Sharon Wood
Doug Shultz 

Animation & Title Sequence
Blue Spill

Flame Artist - Anthony Brownmoore
Design Director - Joe NowackiDesign Concept Director - Allison Brownmoore
Creative Producer - Elliot Mander

Artists
Kevin Smy
Linda Scerpella
Joseph Frascina
Miles Corless 

Production Assistants
Lucy Beavis
Daniel Fisher 

Post-Production Coordinators
Olivia Starr
James Edwards 

Additional Graphics
Nuncle  

Animation Development
Big Star  

Additional Motion Graphics
Simon Potter 

Colorist
Evan Anthony, CSI 

Post-Production Picture Services provided by
Goldcrest Post Productions New York 

Post-Production Sound Services provided by
BANG Audio Post 

Sound Editors & Re-recording Mixers
Paul Vîtolinš & Nick Cipriano 

Sound Designer
Paul Vîtolinš

Additional Dialogue Recording
Gabriel Alon, Ullman Media - Ramat Hasharon
John Hetrick, Brainstorm Media - Dayton, OH
Rex Recker, Digital Arts - New York, NY
Kevin Ren, Magic Cloud Club - Beijing  

Archival Producer
Elijah Stevens 

Archival Consultant
Lizzy McGlynn 

Additional Archival Research
Vanessa Maruskin 

Post-Production Coordinator
Maggie Piazza Carroll 

Subtitles
Marcus Taylor 

Production Assistants
Wendy Faunce
Isabel Fernandez
Ian Turley
Yaxuan Wen
Maya Zhang 

Interns  
Assata Acey
Anna Bullard-Werner
Maddy French
Riya Philip
Grace Sue
Xinyan Wang 

Translators
Michelle Dong
Henna Ong
Zhiying Zhen
Ignacio Murga
Nelson Rojas Caura
Yaxuan Wen  

Sizzle Reel Editing
Matt Twomey, Picrow 

Sizzle Reel Motion Graphics
Momentist 

Legal Counsel
Bianca Grimshaw,
Granderson Des Rochers LLP 

Fair Use Legal Counsel
Peter Jaszi 

Production Insurance
Momentous Insurance Brokerage,  
Winnie Wong & Andrew Moran 

Accounting
Sonia Morrison 

Bookkeeping
Alison Proctor