Human Race

The visually striking documentary "Human Race" tackles important questions concerning our identity. It's about what makes us who we are. Does it come from our DNA? Or where in the planet we're from? Or our upbringing? The main character himself becomes proof that it's a bit of everything. This combination of a personal portrayal of the main character and a colossal research undertaking that the film chronicles lends 'Human Race' the extra layers that help you understand new things about our species you might didn't know or think about.

It's a film that will stay with you long after you've seen it.

This film is difficult to describe. On one hand, it's a science film. On the other hand, it's a touching portrait of a scientist and the hardships he suffers. But it's also a kind of comedy where you laugh at (often unintentionally) funny scientists. The main thing though it enables you to get a new and deep understanding that genius and madness are connected and that humans are complex creatures. It also made me think about nature and nurture. What is it that makes us who we are? The main character in the film thinks it's nature, but the film beautifully unfolds how nurture has influenced who he is. It's powerful. I think I learned a lot and I'm looking forward to rewatching this film with my children.

Beautifully shot and expertly told, Human Race is a rare film that manages to be both intellectually rigorous and emotionally resonant. It invites viewers to reflect not only on our collective past but on their own sense of self. Deeply fascinating and highly recommended. One of the most memorable scenes takes place not in a lab or on an archaeological site, but at a waffle bar, where Willerslev sits with his two sons. His eldest expresses a desire to take a DNA test. In a surprising moment, the professor-who has built his career on the study of genetics-says he doesn't supports the idea. And then, contradicting what might be assumed to be his core belief, he offers a powerful reflection: your genetics should not define your identity. Who you are goes beyond your DNA.

It's in moments like these that Human Race becomes more than a documentary about science. It becomes a poetic, deeply human exploration of identity, inheritance, and the delicate boundary between genius and madness. The film suggests that what we often label as mental illness may, in fact, be inseparable from the very traits that define our humanity.

When I sat down to watch Human Race, I knew very little about what I was about to see. And yet, it has stayed with me in ways I didn't anticipate. There is something quietly remarkable about this fillm. Something that unfolds slowly, almost imperceptibly, as it moves through different themes and perspectives. At times, I found myself unsure of where it was heading. The narrative can feel elusive, even disorienting. But throughout, there is an anchoring presence. The main character, Willerslev, and his relentless pursuit of success. (He wants us to believe that it's more than success. But I'm not sure.)

It's only toward the end that the different threads begin to meet. Even then, the full impact of the film doesn't necessarily arrive all at once. For me, it was in the days and weeks afterwards that its deeper questions began to settle in. Human Race doesn't offer easy conclusions. It lingers. It leaves you with a quiet, persistent shift in how you think about our species, our history, and what it means to be who we are. It's very strange.

An intriguing, funny and breathtaking film exploring what it means to be human: Documentary film, Human Race, centers on a monumental scientific investigation to create a library of our species throughout time. The library might provide an explanation for why mental illness is prevalent in human DNA. The film gradually transforms into an intimate portrait of the principal scientist, Professor Eske Willerslev, who is spearheading the project. In this way, the film adds a poetic and human element to the understanding of the scientific endeavor. What we think of as mental diseases is closely related to what makes us human. It is deeply fascinating and super recommendable.