• Director(s):

    GILMAN (Sylvie), DELESTRADE (Thierry)

  • Producer(s):

    ARTE FRANCE, YUZU PRODUCTIONS

  • Territories:

    Worldwide.

  • Production year:

    2019

  • Language(s):

    German, English, French

  • Rights:

    TV, DVD, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD

Hidden deep in our intestines, 100,000 billion bacteria are keeping us healthy by producing a range of molecules. Although they are invisible to the naked eye, they could revolutionize the future of medicine. That is, if our modern lifestyle doesn't wipe them out first.

Is the future of medicine being played out in your intestine? Recent discoveries about the micro-universe nestled in our guts have enabled us to better understand such diverse conditions as diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, some types of cancer, and even autism and depression. This understanding gives hope for a cure for chronic conditions that have so far resisted the efforts of modern medicine. For a long time, little was known about the intestinal microbiota. It is now slowing revealing its secrets. “It’s like discovering a new organ!” exclaims pioneering researcher Dusko Ehrlich. What makes it work? Symbiosis, i.e. the harmony between it and the rest of the organism. In fact, we have a kind of contract with the 100,000 billion bacteria living in our intestines: in exchange for room and board, they keep us healthy by producing a range of molecules. Thousands of scientists worldwide are currently working on decoding the singular language of this contract.