Life in hell - Survivors of Darkness

Directed by

Thierry Berrod

Written by

Thierry Berrod

Produced by

ARTE France, Mona Lisa Production, CNRS Images

Documentary, France, 2010, 43 min

In these environments, micro-organisms rule. Certain animals have strange adaptations such as skin that is totally white or even transparent. Others are blind. Scientists are studying how these species manage to survive with so little oxygen, food and light in the most inhospitable caves on the planet.

The Movile Cave in Romania is without a doubt the most extreme subterranean environment on Earth. Its isolation for several millions of years has led to the creation of a special microcosm. In certain parts of the cave, the concentration of hydrogen sulphate is 100 times that of the air we breathe. And yet in this hell, thanks to the action of certain microbes, a rich ecosystem has developed.

The species encountered are constantly interacting with each other. A remarkable equilibrium, extremely fragile and often unimaginable, is the result.

Debate with :

• Thierry Berrod, director
• Alain Couté, professor at the MNHN, currently professor emeritus and former director of the Laboratory Cryptogamy MNHN