Films put science in the spotlight

Thought-provoking cinema screenings that probe issues surrounding regenerative medicine will take place in Edinburgh this autumn.

The Filmosophy: Regeneration season will put a spotlight on ethical topics, such as the use of stem cells and genetic modification. The issues will be explored during post-screening discussions with experts from the University of Edinburgh.

The series takes place at Edinburgh’s Filmhouse from 8 September until 8 December. It is delivered in association with Short Courses at Edinburgh and the University’s MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM).

Thought-provoking cinema

The season begins on Tuesday, 8 September with 'Never Let Me Go', which is based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s best-selling novel.

It is a story of love and loss that deals with the ethics of human cloning for medical purposes.

Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, CRM Director, will take part in the post-screening discussion.

Autumn programme

The critically-acclaimed 'I Am Breathing', which follows the story of Motor Neuron Disease-sufferer Neil Platt during the last few months of his life, will be shown in October.

The film was co-directed by Emma Davie, Programme Director of Film and TV at Edinburgh College of Art and Morag McKinnon. It was produced by Sonja Henrici of the Scottish Documentary Institute.

Further screenings include Darren Aronofsky’s 'The Fountain', which features three intertwining tales about men in pursuit of eternal life.

Also being shown is Pedro Almodovar’s 'The Skin I Live In', a warped and creepy revenge thriller in which a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) is obsessed with his latest revolutionary skin treatment.

Showcasing Edinburgh research

As well as offering a fresh perspective on the films, it is an opportunity to showcase some of the ground-breaking science taking place in Edinburgh right now. The scientists involved in the discussions are world-leaders in their field, and I am looking forward to what should be a stimulating and powerful debate on the ethics of stem cell research.

Artwork by Hamer Dodds, CRM artist-in-residence, will accompany the Regeneration season. His exhibition of microscopic cell images and drawings are on show at the Edinburgh Filmhouse throughout September.

Filmosophy: Regeneration programme

• Tuesday 8 September: 'Never Let Me Go' (Romanek 2010)
• Tuesday 13 October: 'I Am Breathing' (Davie and McKinnon 2013)
• Tuesday 10 November: 'The Fountain' (Aronofsky 2006)
• Tuesday 8 December: 'The Skin I Live In' (Almodovar 2011)