Genesis 2.0 2018
Distributed by Kimstim, 417 13th Street #2,
Brooklyn, New York 11215
Produced by Christian Frei
Directed by Christian Frei and Maxim Arbugaev
Streaming, 113 mins
College
Bioethics; Paleontology
Date Entered: 04/30/2020
Reviewed by Abbey B. Lewis, STEM Learning & Collections Librarian, University of Colorado BoulderOn the New Siberian Islands climate change is rapidly melting permafrost, revealing mammoth tusks which “hunters” can sell for hefty sums. However, the discovery of an entire frozen carcass could lead to something even more valuable, the possibility of cloning a mammoth. Genesis 2.0 follows hunters and scientists as they retrieve a well-preserved mammoth from the thawing ice and attempt to use its DNA to bring the species back from extinction.
The New Siberian Islands are stunning in their harshness and remoteness and contrast heavily with the convention centers and pristine labs where scientists resurrect the DNA of beloved pet dogs. Whether it’s through climate change or commercial cloning, both settings provide a look at a world that viewers can uncomfortably recognize as our own.
The documentary doesn’t set out to answer questions about whether or not cloning a mammoth is scientifically possible or ethically sound (the answer to both might be “perhaps”). Instead, viewers are given an opportunity to view a strange scenario - if humans were to clone a mammoth then this is how it would be done, this is where the mammoth DNA would be found, and these are the people who would do the cloning. Although largely unbiased, the overall feeling of the film goes from surreal to real and back again.
While Genesis 2.0 doesn’t get into the more technical aspects of cloning, it does provide ample food for thought about how the process should be used, by whom, and to what end. It’s suitable for high-school and college students and would fit well into biology and especially scientific ethics classes.
Awards:
Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography; Seoul Eco Film Festival Best Feature Film; Moscow International Film Festival Audience Award; Lunenburg Doc Fest Feature Documentary Award; Green Film Network Best Documentary; Docutah International Film Festival Best Foreign Film; Cinemambiente 2018 Best Documentary; Golden Raven Arctic Film Festival Chukotka; Budapest International Documentary Film Festival Main Award; Detour Film Festival 2019 Cinema Del Viaggio Best Film; Zurcher Filmpreis 2018