Future Science

In this information-dense journey through European laboratories, the filmmaker sets out with a clear mission: to challenge the continued use of animal testing.

Taking as its point of departure the global protest movement against animal testing that emerged in the early 2000s, the film examines the current state of the debate. Has meaningful progress been made? A wide range of pioneering scientists appear on screen, working to transform biomedical research through the development of animal-free testing innovations, including multi-organ chips, artificial intelligence, 3D bioprinting and computer-based models. Demonstrating that viable alternatives already exist, the film reveals how systemic change remains frustratingly out of reach. It offers a grounded exploration of how scientific knowledge is produced, asking whether science is on the brink of a new paradigm – or being held back by economic interests and institutional prestige. Capturing a field in transition, the film features contributions from Dutch professor Dr J. (Merel) Ritskes-Hoitinga of Utrecht University.

– Thomas Streekstra