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.
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
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