EditHuman Race (2024)

Spearheaded by maverick professor Eske Willerslev, an international team of scientists undertakes an unprecedented quest: to decode the DNA of 5,000 ancient humans. As their groundbreaking genetic archive expands, it begins to reveal unexpected secrets—reshaping what we thought we knew about human history and evolution. Could conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and autism have always been part of our genetic makeup? And might these so-called disorders be intrinsic to being human? For five years, Danish filmmaker Simon Lec and his crew have followed Willerslev, capturing the highs and lows of a man driven by ambition and haunted by questions of identity. This documentary is not only a portrait of a scientist striving to leave his mark on the world, but also a deeply personal journey—one that challenges what it means to be different and suggests that the answers may lie deep within our ancient genes.