Under Our Skin

A chilling tale of microbes, medicine and money, this Oscar shortlisted film has changed the landscape of the Lyme epidemic, bringing unprecedented awareness in an engaging and accessible way. The definitive record of the Lyme controversy, Under Our Skin exposes a hidden story of medical and scientific malfeasance and neglect. As official case numbers explode and hundreds of thousands of people around the world go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, the film is as relevant and timely as ever.

Lyme disease is a canary in the coal mine and case study for what's poisonous in both our environment and our science. At the epicenter a tiny microbe looms, providing a powerful symbol for an issue that is hidden and lurking--so small yet immense, so real but unrecognized. What has gotten under our skin is not just a microorganism, but a lethal system which has abandoned some of the most needy and threatens us all. Our own human skin is a microcosm of the earth, and the extent to which the earth's body is out of balance, so is our own.

"I want to show the horror of an illness and an ill system that too long has been ignored. But I also want to show the human and natural beauty right next to it. Sometimes indistinguishable, the beauty and horror are intertwined. If Under Our Skin merely perpetuates the idea that the natural world is perilous, or that human nature is corrupt, we miss out on the beauty that surrounds us. On the other hand, if we are lulled by convention and don't look beneath the surface, we risk infection by the equally dangerous maladies of ignorance and indifference." - Andy Abrahams Wilson, Director

Reviews

"Like a well-made thriller, gets under your skin...more deeply terrifying than any slasher film you'll ever see." - Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post

"Heart-rending...scary enough to make the faint of heart decide never to venture into the woods." - Stephen Holden, New York Times

"Takes what seems to be a straightforward subject...and turns it into a detective story, a romance, an inspirational drama, a conspiracy thriller and a science lesson, all in one." - David Bianculli, TVWorthWatching.com

"The visual beauty of the film underlies its most haunting theme. The closer humans get to nature, the more sensitive they must become to its hidden dangers. UNDER OUR SKIN details a medical nightmare. The movie only looks like a sun-kissed dream." - Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun

"Enthralling and powerful...should bring the arguments surrounding chronic Lyme disease to a wider international audience." - Julian Upton, The Lancet

Awards
Semifinalist, Academy Awards, Best Documentary Feature
Finalist, Audience Choice Award, Tribeca Film Festival (World Premiere)
Winner, Best of Festival, Fargo Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentaries of 2010, Video Librarian
Winner, Best Documentary, Houston International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Sonoma International Film Festival
Winner, Audience Favorite, Durango Independent Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Okanagan (Canada) International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Camden International Film Festival
Winner, Best Picture Silver Award, International Health Film Festival (Greece)
Winner, Best in Health & Science, CINE Golden Eagle Awards
Winner, Best in Infectious Diseases, International Health & Medical Media Awards

Running Time

102 mins

Year

2008

Kanopy ID

1129935

Filmmakers

Andy Abrahams Wilson

Subjects

Health > Everyday Health

Health > Medicine

Documentaries > Health & Wellness

Global Studies & Languages > North American Studies

Documentaries

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Under Our Skin
The Untold Story of Lyme Disease

Part of the Series: Under Our Skin Collection

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Under Our Skin
The Untold Story of Lyme Disease

Part of the Series: Under Our Skin Collection