On the Invention of Species

On the Invention of Species

Sloan Foundation Film

Release Date

2024

Director

  • Tania Hermida

Cast

  • Ana María Carrión
  • Gabriel Saltos
  • Santiago Villacís
  • Francisco Aguirre (aka Pancho Aguirre)

Awards

  • SFFILM Sloan Science on Screen Award 2024

On the cusp of womanhood and grappling with the loss of her brother, Carla finds herself adrift on the historic archipelago that led to Charles Darwin’s breakthrough studies on adaptation.

When Carla’s dad drags her to the Galápagos Islands for a convention on conservation and species evolution, she is less than thrilled. On the cusp of womanhood and grappling with the loss of her brother, Carla finds herself adrift on the historic archipelago that led to Charles Darwin’s breakthrough studies on adaptation. Befriending two young boys who become her emotional foils, Carla pretends to be a different version of herself in order to surmount this emotional and physical journey. In this stunningly lensed lyrical debut, Tania Hermida deftly toys with parables while exploring the evolving relationship between man and nature. With Terrence Malick stylings, hints of Agnès Varda observational irony, and a dash of Alice Rohrwacher magical-realism, this tender film is a celebration of the shared sentient experience—biological and emotional.

Possible Topics

  • Evolution of Species
  • The Unique Biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands
  • Darwin's Theories Evolution
  • The Dangers of Extinction