Documentary / François Tribolet / France / 2023 / 50 min / English / Nomination Science & Media Awards 2023
Flowers defy the impossible. Under their seemingly fragile appearance, they’re fierce fighters. Their history is that of their dazzling conquest of the planet. Today, they represent 90% of plant species. According to Charles Darwin, “The rapid development of flowering plants is an abominable mystery.”
What place do flowers hold in the tree of all living beings? When did they first appear on Earth? How can we explain their prodigious diversification? And what are the superpowers that make them invincible?
To answer these question and solve the abominable mystery of flowers, a new generation of scientists is hard at work. From the African deserts to the summits of the Alps, their discoveries are revolutionizing the way we conceive the origin and expansion of flowering plants.
For the first time, we reveal secrets of flowers with never-before-seen images, time-lapse, and super slow motion captured with a next generation macro-lens. Thanks to stunning, high-detail computer animation, we retrace the history of flowers, diving into the heart of their cells to illuminate the real reasons for their success. Embark on this breathtaking scientific investigation as we lift the veil on the fascinating mystery of flowers.
Tip: Want to know why pollinators are so central to our daily lives? Come a little earlier and visit the pollinator breakfast from 11 am.