Terra Incognita

USA 2007 / 83min.
Director Maria Finitzo / Producer Maria Finitzo

Stem cell treatment engenders fierce debate and division but what would your position be if it could provide a cure for your paralysed daughter?

Terra Incognita puts a human face on the stem cell debate by following the work of Dr. Jack Kessler as he searches for a cure to spinal cord injuries, and the breakthrough that will allow his injured daughter to walk again.

When Kessler was invited to head up the Neurology Department at Northwestern University, his focus was on using stem cells to help cure diabetes but soon after his move to Chicago, his daughter, Allison was injured in a skiing accident and paralysed from the waist down. In the moments following the accident, Dr. Kessler made the decision to change the focus of his research to begin looking for a cure for spinal cord injuries using embryonic stem cells.

Through his work, the film tells the stories of families whose lives have been affected by spinal cord injuries, and the people working to alleviate their burdens. It shows the awe-inspiring, yet painstaking work undertaken by Dr. Kessler and his lab – the documentary tracks several dramatic experiments in which paralysed mice regain some movement in their legs – while following his tireless efforts to raise awareness of the potential benefits of stem cell biology.

Representing a diverse array of voices, including scientists, doctors, patients, bioethicists, students, and religious leaders, this insightful documentary offers a revealing look behind the politics, the controversy, and the promise of embryonic stem cells.

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