Denkmal-Film Verhaag


Leben ausser Kontrolle (Langversion)




Life running out of control

Gene Food and Designerbabies

a film by Bertram Verhaag & Gabriele Kröber

95 min

with Andrew Kimbrell, Percy Schmeiser, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Samba Shiva, Martin Pratchler, Joe McGonigle, Rick Howard, Marc Loiselle, Terje Traavic, Mark Franz and Larry Bain

In the mid-eighties, science, with the help of genetic technology, finds the key to mastering the Earth and its creatures. Suddenly, everything seems possible! Twenty years later, we embark on a global journey to explore the progressive genetic manipulation of plants, animals and human beings:

In India, a disastrous crop of genetically modified cotton leaves many farmers facing ruin. They resort to selling a kidney - or committing suicide. In Canada, genetically modified canola seeds blow onto the fields of neighbouring organic farms, making ecological farming impossible. The Icelandic parliament sells information on the entire population's genes to a private company that, in turn, plans to turn over the data at a profit to the pharmaceutical industry and insurance companies. A research project, described as a “vampire project”, involves taking blood, hair and saliva samples from 700 so-called threatened ethnic groups on the pretext of preventive health. The gene samples wander into the laboratories of industry where they provide the basis for developing treatments for valuable patents.

Worldwide, only a handful of scientists are defying industry, carrying out independent research into the effects of transgenic animals and plants on the environment and our health. This film meets them and hears their stories.

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”LIFE RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL is an alarming film, yet one that is well worth seeing. For it teaches us that consumers need to be very concerned about the future, when politicians and corporations are only able to think short-term."
(Stuttgarter Zeitung)
 
"Bertram Verhaag and Gabriele Kröber were aiming for a lucky strike and – to come right to the point – they have succeeded. Their new documentary film ”LIFE RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL” criticizes the new development in gene technology."
(Gen-ethischer Informationsdienst)
 
"In his meticulously researched, excellently photographed and complexly assembled documentary film the director succeeds in covering a lot of ground, from the genetic manipulation of our food to the manipulation of the human genome. It is a wake-up call to stop this fatal development."
(Ökomedia)
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(Language Versions: German, English, Italian, Czech)


1. Preis für die beste lange Produktion (The Carmo Bernardes Trophy), 6. FICA 2004 -- Nominierung für den National Film Board of Canada Award, 23. Vancouver International Film Festival 2004 -- Nominierung für den IDA Award, 20. Annual Awards Competition 2004 -- Goldener Luchs für die beste journalistische Leistung, 21. internationales Umwelt Filmfestival Ökomedia 2004 -- Environmental Great Prize (Câmara Municipal de Seia) für die beste Arbeit in der Kategorie Umwelt, CineEco 2004 -- Lobende Erwähnung, CineEco-Jugendjury 2004 -- Lobende Erwähnung, The Chris Award, Columbus International Film & Video Festival 2005 -- 1. Preis für die beste Produktion in der Kategorie Landwirtschaft, Pestizide und Boden, Earth Vision 2005 -- Silver Snail, 3. Slow Food on Film 2006
   
Buch & Regie Bertram Verhaag Kamera Gerardo Milsztein - Stefan Schindler
Schnitt Gabriele Kröber Ton Zoltan Ravasz - Michael Busch
Produzenten Bertram Verhaag - Michel Morales Assistenz Klaus Mayer - Kim Koch - Bitta Boerger - Verena Gstöttl Musik Michael Bauer
Postproduktion Westend Film & TV Produktion Redaktion Gudrun Hanke-El Ghomri, SWR
In Zusammenarbeit mit SWR und AVIV Pictures
© 2004 DENKmal-Film Verhaag GmbH & AVIV Pictures