The 6th annual “Sud de sciences” festival will be held from November 29 to December 3!

[Press Release] - Published on November 6, 2023 in the Press Room

The University of Montpellier, the Faculty of Sciences, the five partner research organizations (CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, INSERM, IRD), the City of Montpellier, the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Network of Media Libraries and Scientific Culture, and the Kimiyo association are joining forces for the sixth edition of the “Sud de sciences” festival. This science film festival reflects a strong shared commitment: to strengthen the relationship between science and society by offering as many people as possible the opportunity to attend free screenings of science films, followed by discussions with researchers.

This sixth edition features a rich program of events that will take place at three media libraries in the network: Castries, Clapiers, and Montpellier, where a screening is also scheduled at the Nestor Burma Cinema.

“Sudde sciences”: A Comprehensive Program for Knowledge Sharing

The festival’s program is designed to showcase, challenge, inspire reflection, and spark debate on scientific issues. It includes a section dedicated to schoolchildren and seven recent feature-length documentaries, selected to immerse the audience in the heart of knowledge and provide unique opportunities for discussion:

• Wednesday, November 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the Albert Camus Media Library in Clapiers:

“The Brazilian Amazon: A Different Perspective” (2022), directed by Emilie Rozand and featuring Marie-Gabrielle Piketty, an economics researcher at CIRAD: With the global environmental crisis and growing concern over deforestation, the future of the Brazilian Amazon appears uncertain. This documentary sheds light on three very different regions. Working alongside research teams, it shows how local communities perceive and address their challenges in this part of the world. It highlights regions that hold the key to solutions for the Brazilian Amazon of tomorrow.

• Thursday, November 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Émile Zola Media Library in Montpellier:

“The Tree That Hides the Forest: The Challenges of Reforestation” (2022), directed by Marianne Cazaux, featuring Robin Duponnois, a microbiology researcher at IRD. A journey through the deforested lands of the Scottish Highlands, into the heart of the legendary landscapes of the Vosges, and all the way to the Sahel, where the monumental Great Green Wall project is taking shape. Scientists urge us to pay closer attention to these mysterious ecosystems in order to meet the challenges of reforestation. Will these artificial plantations be as effective as natural forests at sequestering CO₂?

“After the Flames” (2022), directed by Florent Rocchi. End-of-year film (2nd year of the IFFCAM’s university diploma program in “Writing and Directing Wildlife Documentaries”)

• Friday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Françoise Giroud Media Library in Castries

“The Superpowers of Music” (2022), directed by Jacques Mitsch , featuring Sylvain Mangiarotti, a researcher in Chaos Theory at the IRD and the Center for Space Studies of the Biosphere (CESBIO-OMP). What is the purpose of music? In recent years, advances in neuroscience have demonstrated the incredible impact of music on our brains at every stage of our lives, from the fetal stage through old age. This documentary is a behavioral and neurological investigation that aims to unravel the mystery of music’s power in our lives.

• Saturday, December 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Émile Zola Media Library in Montpellier

“Gold and Arsenic Mines” (2021), directed by Valerie Cibot and Michel Coqblin, featuring Claude Grison, a chemistry researcher at the CNRS. We follow the journey of a scientific team tasked with cleaning up the former mining site in Salsigne, in the Aude department. After a century of mining at one of the largest gold and arsenic mines, environmental and human damage had become evident. All hope seemed lost, yet researchers have made incredible discoveries in “ecological chemistry” that are restoring hope to local residents.

• Saturday, December 2, at 3:00 p.m. at the Albert Camus Media Library in Clapiers

“Bats: Friend or Foe?” (2021), directed by Raphaël Hitier, featuring Anne Keriel, a researcher in infectious diseases at INSERM, and Nathalie Charbonnel, a researcher in evolutionary ecology at INRAE. As this astonishing scientific investigation shows, this flying mammal fascinates researchers, who are trying to uncover the secrets behind its robust health. Carriers of hundreds of viruses—some of which are transmissible to humans—bats are suspected of being the source of several diseases: Marburg fever, Ebola, and, of course, various coronaviruses. But how does this mammal manage to resist infections? This resilience to disease intrigues many scientists.

• Sunday, December 3, at 11:00 a.m. at the Nestor Burma movie theater in Montpellier

“Sons of Ice” (2022), directed by Oscar Dario Jimenez Escruceria, featuring Fabien Anthelme, an ecological researcher at the IRD. Four men and one woman have dedicated their lives to admiring and protecting the Colombian glaciers, which are unique in the world. However, giving one’s life to protect the mountains will not be enough to prevent their extinction.

• Sunday, December 3, at 3:00 p.m. at the Émile Zola Media Library in Montpellier

“Sapiens, or the Birth of Art” (2022), directed by Pascal Goblot, featuring Ludovic Dolez, Ph.D. in archaeology and tour guide. Did art truly emerge in Europe 36,000 years ago at the Chauvet Cave? Or perhaps at Lascaux, 18,000 years ago? Recent research is upending the conventional narrative of art’s origins: the oldest paintings discovered date back more than 45,000 years and are located in Indonesia! An invitation to dive into the heart of history with archaeologists, prehistorians, anthropologists, and artists from around the world to rediscover how and where art was born, while exploring the inseparable bond between Homo sapiens and art.

Keywords: Research, Science, Company