SKIN DEEP

Skin Deep, a documentary my Uncle, Franco di Chiera directed at the end of last year, will screen on SBS One, Sunday 2 January, 8.30pm as part of the series "Secrets of the Human Body".

"For hundreds of years, human skin colour has been used as a marker of race. Now, science is uncovering the intricate relationship between skin colour and environment.

When our ancient ancestors in Equatorial Africa lost their body hair and ventured out into the open savannah, their skin had to become dark to resist strong UV radiation. Perfectly adapted to the environment, the black skin of Africans is one of Nature’s greatest achievements for the survival of the human species.

In SKIN DEEP, Penn State University anthropologist Nina Jablonski proposes a startling new explanation as to why human skin has so many colours. Her research suggests that pigmentation did not evolve to prevent skin cancer, but primarily to help the human body maintain the right balance of two crucial vitamins essential for reproduction and body development. As a result, skin colour developed as a perfect compromise: allowing enough sunlight to stimulate the production of Vitamin D, but screening the body from harmful rays that destroy folic acid – a vitamin necessary for reproductive success.

Focusing on ground-breaking research and personal accounts of scientists around the world, SKIN DEEP reveals that the evolution of skin colour is solely an adaptation to the environment. It drives home a powerful message: judging people on the basis of colour is not only morally unacceptable, it is scientifically wrong."
 

"The concept of ancient human ancestry is extremely powerful, as demonstrated by the number of people who ventured out into storms to attend the evening. The formal feedback we received has been overwhelmingly positive, and there have been some wonderful references to how the screening of SKIN DEEP tied the evening together. Well deserved praise for a film that captures the mystery of the human journey." - Steve Kern, the RiAus Senior Programs Co-ordinator, Science Exchange, Adelaide

My Uncle says about making the documentary: "The subject of this this film means a lot to me and making it was both a joy and a revelation. I hope you can catch it and find it an uplifting way to start the New Year - celebrating the "human rainbow"."

Here is the trailer, and here is the SBS Website for the "Secrets of the Human Body" series.

Worth a watch! :)

Yolie xx