On October 10, the science film Dark Biosphere: Betting on a Living Universe became part of the permanent programme at the Planetarium, the spherical cinema at the Palace of Science. This acclaimed film by Spanish director Javier Bollaín takes audiences to the frontiers of scientific knowledge, exploring one of the most extraordinary phenomena we can study: life itself.
The journey begins deep beneath the Earth’s crust, hundreds or even thousands of metres below the surface, in places without light or air, where water is present only in trace amounts. Yet even under these extreme conditions, a diverse world of microorganisms manages to survive. By studying these organisms, scientists are seeking to uncover the secrets of the origins and evolution of life on Earth, while also exploring an age-old question: could life exist somewhere else in the vastness of the universe?
In an interview with Nedeljnik, Nemanja Đorđević, Miodrag Kostić Endowment Manager, explained why Dark Biosphere was carefully selected for the Planetarium’s programme. He described the film as “both exciting and educational”, adding that it “shows the different forms life might take on other planets, while also changing the very way we think about what life is and where it belongs”.
The film is available in Serbian and English, with the story brought to life by the voices of two renowned actors, Milan Marić and Viggo Mortensen. Their narration gives an abstract scientific subject a recognisable human voice, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
Skrivena biosfera: U potrazi za živim univerzumom je film namenjen različitim uzrastima – deci u starijim razredima osnovnih škola, srednjoškolcima, studentima, njihovim roditeljima, ali i svima ostalima koji su radoznali da zavire u nevidljivi svet koji nas okružuje i otkriju koliko toga o životu još ne znamo.
The film premiered on October 9, followed by an introductory discussion with Nemanja Đorđević, Miodrag Kostić Endowment Manager, actor and narrator Milan Marić and Branko Simonović, astronomy populariser.
The film is the latest in a series of Palace of Science projects aimed at making high-quality science content accessible to a broad audience. As Nemanja Đorđević puts it: “If we want science to be part of education and society’s culture, it must be available in the language people think, learn and talk in.” Through initiatives like this, the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment seeks to inspire curiosity and open up space for questions that encourage us to see the world from new perspectives.