THE MESSENGER: A Story of mRNA

Name: THE MESSENGER: A Story of mRNA
Director: Yelena Ganshof van der Meersch,Tareq Daoud,Ev Durán
Released: 2023

Yelena Ganshof van der Meersch Tareq Daoud Ev Durán 2023

mRNA vaccine pioneers uncover a tangled history of discoveries, igniting a new wave of therapeutics. Unaware of the impending pandemic, visionary scientists sought gene therapy methods for cancer, HIV, and other deadly diseases. Their groundbreaking work on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, now crowned by the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine, is bringing a new era of revolutionary cures.

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Running Time:

53 min.

Spoken Languages:

English, French

Subtitles:

English

Directors:

Yelena Ganshof van der Meersch Tareq Daoud Ev Durán

Producers:

Yelena Ganshof van der Meersch

Cinematographers:

Tareq Daoud, Ev Durán

Editors:

Kostas Makrinos, Bronwen Cowley

Production Companies:

INSIDE TOMORROW, RTS Swiss national television channel, Cinéforom, 2Hérons Production

Investigative Journalism

Science

Society

Technology

Press

Le Matin

How the Covid vaccine was made possible(from French)

mRNA tells our body what protein to create. The documentary uses the image of a cooking recipe transmitted to the chef, who then destroys it once the dish is ready.
This documentary was filmed before the 2023 Nobel Prize was awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, who among other protagonists of the film contributed to the development of medicine.
The documentary also gives the floor to Robert Malone, who was one of the first to introduce mRNA into cells in order to make them produce proteins, but who has become an opponent of the Covid vaccine and a definite asset to the anti-vax campaign.

Michel Pralong
Quotes
This remarkable film chronicles one of humanity's most incredible technical achievements: the development of mRNA vaccines and medicines. It weaves a compelling historical narrative around the key innovators in this field, showcasing how collaboration for a common good leads to extraordinary results. A true life medical drama of epic proportions; a must see!

Jeff Coller
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of RNA Biology
and Therapeutics at Johns Hopkins University
My personal favorite moment of the film is a question of the relationship between science and the capitalist economy. This moment gives us a good grasp of the ambiguous nature of patents: on the one hand, they are an object of suspicion and even rejection for scientists who see science as a global public good; on the other, they are an essential incentive for investors to devote the resources to biotechs that will ensure the continuation of researchers' scientific activities.
THE MESSENGER's qualities are undeniable, as is its ability to educate, at a time when so much misinformation is circulating on social networks.

Jérôme Lemonnier
Author of “The Marathon of the Messenger” book
together with Nicolas Lemonnier and Gilles Charrot

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