ANTWERP - With the help of thousands of women, the microbiology lab at the University of Antwerp is going on a voyage of discovery into the underside of the female body: what microorganisms are found in the vagina, what are they doing there and what can we learn from them? The social relevance of this pioneering work is beyond question....
The Wonder Underneath is a musical science documentary that takes us on a journey of discovery into the vagina. The Isala research project, led by Professor Sarah Lebeer, is investigating an under-researched topic: the vaginal microbiome. The team collects and examines more than 6,000 samples, quickly becoming the largest study of the vaginal microbiome in the world and winning several awards.
The Wonder Underneath is a collaboration between researcher Sarah Ahannach, who is part of the Isala project, at the University of Antwerp and filmmaker Nina Landau.
Directors Intention
I have been following the scientific work of the Isala team very closely since 2021. Sarah Lebeer and her lab team are pioneers: the research on the vaginal microbiome is groundbreaking and challenges the well-known Gut-Brain Axis: because who knows, maybe there is also such a thing as the Uterus-Brain Axis or a Vagina-Gut Axis?
Initial research findings prove that the female body is virgin territory, where there is still much to learn. By choosing a sterile pool context, we establish a visual and narrative parallel between the teeming bacteria in a petri dish and the vibrant female bodies in, on and around the water.
As filmmakers, we watch the women in the pool with inquisitive eyes and curiosity. For a moment, we even imagine ourselves scientists, looking through their microscopes, hoping to find out what makes women their own. At the same time, the musical elements and the synchronized choreography of the women in glitter costumes emphasize the wonderful world below: a world where a proprietary ecosystem reigns supreme and where the origins of our humanity are contained.
