- Directed by: Michael Graziano
- Produced by: Michael Graziano, Ernie Park
Released: 2015
Running Time: 72 min
Language: English, subtitled: Spanish & French
Antibiotics were first massed-produced in the 1940s and their ability to fight and kill bacteria revolutionized medicine and profoundly impacted everything from agriculture to war. After less than 80 years, however, these miracle drugs are failing. Resistant infections kill hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year and there are now dozens of so-called Superbugs each with its own challenges and costs. How did this happen? Using microscopic footage, harrowing personal stories, and expert insights RESISTANCE clarifies the problem of antibiotic resistance, how we got to this point, and what we can do to turn the tide.
The question: have we reached a point where we must save antibiotics in order to save ourselves? Resistance seeks to answer this question using a blend of interviews, archival material, animation, and vérité footage shot across the United States and other parts of the globe. In the process the film also reveals the past, present and possible futures of one of the greatest health threats humanity has ever faced. The film contends that antibiotics are a unique public resource that must be managed sensibly and protected from the misuse that is transforming them from a good into a problem. Accordingly, a variety of perspectives on this vital issue are included with the goal of fostering cooperation among stakeholders to achieve proper management and protection of these precious drugs.
Reviews / Quotes:
“Lucid, superbly filmed and galvanizing.” - The Washington Post
“The Movie That Will Make You Care About Antibiotic Misuse.” - WIRED
“gripping” and “engaging.” - Slate