On the 10th we watched a very powerful documentary titled Underkastesen (Submission). It was disturbing, to say the least.
The amount of chemicals in our environment is overwhelming and, the truth is, they aren’t safe.
Watch the trailer for a taste of what the documentary is all about- A short description:
“Manmade chemicals are everywhere around us. Indeed, we are awash in a poisonous environment of our own making. Contemporary concerns about man’s detrimental effects on our world are top of mind these days — as worries about issues like global warming and the collapse of the honeybee population, and hopes for the increased implementation of renewable energy sources and better methods of food production demonstrate.
In Submission, director Stefan Jarl takes another tack. The film begins as he has his own blood tested, in order to see which chemicals — those useful industrial substances that stop lampshades from bursting into flame, or ensure that fabrics do not stain when we spill our morning coffee — his body has unwittingly absorbed. The result: Jarl’s blood has high levels of any number of unnatural and unwanted potential toxins. Thinking his age might be a factor in the levels of chemicals, he enlists a second guinea-pig: a young, pregnant friend. His thesis is proven true: she has absorbed less, because she has had less time to do so.
However, the story only introduces more concerns. Through interviews with a number of international experts, we learn that chemicals pass through the placenta during pregnancy. The tiniest amounts of some of these substances in the early stages of life can have significant and detrimental effects — especially on reproductive systems. In this age of environmentalism, we are, thankfully, increasingly focused on making the world a healthier place. But what if there are none of us here to live in it?”
Submission is brought to us by the Abu Dhabi Film Festival (www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae)
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