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Deep Dive: Genesis 2.0 (2018)

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Genesis 2.0
Genesis 2.0 is a documentary directed by Christian Frei and Maxim Abugaev, released in January 2018 at the Sundance Film Festival. The film centers on the woolly mammoth, an extinct species, and the lives of men who hunt for valuable mammoth tusks in the New Siberian Islands. These tusks are sought after due to their high market value, and the film captures the hazardous conditions faced by these hunters as they search for ivory in a rapidly changing Arctic landscape. In addition to documenting the tusk hunters, the film examines the potential of genetic research and synthetic biology aimed at resurrecting the woolly mammoth. It features insights from researchers like George Church from Harvard University and Dr. Huanming Yang from the BGI Human Genome Center in Shenzhen, discussing the implications of their work. The film travels from the New Siberian Islands to various scientific hubs, including a mammoth museum in Yakutsk and a commercial cloning company in South Korea, illustrating the intersection of ancient history and modern science.

Why Watch

  • •Meet mammoth hunters in the New Siberian Islands.
  • •See cutting-edge genetic research aiming to revive extinct species.
  • •Follow the journey of mammoth tusks from Arctic to market.

Did You Know

•The film won the World Cinema Special Jury Award for Cinematography at Sundance 2018.
•Maxim Abugaev filmed the mammoth tusk collectors during one hunting season.
•The film features researchers from locations including Boston and Shenzhen.

Perfect For

Mammoth enthusiastsGenetic engineeringArctic exploration