On the Invention of Species

Learn about the Science Behind the Film with Professor Andrew Wier from Pace University

2024. 91 m. Tania Hermida. Habanero Films. Ecuador/Spain/Cuba. Spanish with subtitles. Rated NR.

Series

Before the film, Professor Andrew Wier of Pace University’s Biology Department will share his first-hand knowledge of the Galápagos Islands and the research he conducted at this historic site as part of Science on Screen.

Twelve-year-old Carla is grieving and speechless when she arrives at the Galápagos and realizes she must mutate to survive. She thus becomes an “Island” and, imitating the iguanas, learns to cling to the rocks, wait, plunge, and emerge to tell her story. On the Invention of Species was shot entirely on location at the Galápagos Islands and won the Sloan Science on Screen Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 2024.

Science on Screen is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Tickets: $11 (members), $16 (nonmembers), $9 (child)

Join today to save $5 per ticket and pay no online fees.

PAST EVENTS

Science on Screen Presentation with Dr. Andrew Wier from Pace University

Tuesday, Mar. 25 2025, 7:00

This event is over. View all of our upcoming events.

Andrew Wier is a professor in the Biology Department at Pace University, where he has been teaching for 15 years. He specializes in Evolution, Microbiology, and Introductory Biology, bringing a deep passion for the mechanisms that drive life’s diversity. His research includes the rehabilitation of cold-stunned sea turtles at the New York Marine Rescue Center in Long Island and the study of the symbiotic relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid and its bioluminescent bacteria. Through his work, Andrew bridges conservation and microbiology, exploring how species adapt and survive in changing environments.