On May 7th, I attended the Biotech & Art watch party of the 1997 film Gattaca. The IMDb synopsis of the film reads as follows: "A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel".
This was actually my second time watching the film; my high school biology class watched it, and probably for similar educational purposes. (Specifically, it was during our unit on gene technologies!) Back then, I didn't really have any specific opinions on CRISPR and similar technologies. I had forgotten enough of the plot details that I felt attending this specific watch party would be interesting, as it would allow me to analyze the film from a new perspective.
My first time watching it, I left with the conclusion that the film was a cautionary exploration of the benefits of gene editing. The second time around, I had different schema that affected my opinion. For example, after years of sign language and a class on deaf history, and understanding more about the opinions of various parties in the deaf community, I wondered if "removing" the potential for deafness in a fetus would be akin to genocide. Controversy surrounding Autism Speaks and their philosophy regarding the neurodivergent spectrum would also be relevant to this concern.
Another realization I had during the watch party was how important the role of Dr.Lamar was. Dr.Lamar went against the rules out of empathy, and a recognition that what society deemed legal and correct was not necessarily in line with his own morals. During this time of social upheaval, singular resistances might seem trivial, but they can add up. For example, recently, a man in Glasgow laid under the wheels of a deportation truck for 8 hours to prevent the seizing of two migrants. I felt that this was similar in nature to Dr.Lamar's invisible aid in Vincent's story. Systemic oppression exists both in Gattaca and our own world, but individuals who don't give in to apathy or despair are those who enable others' dreams to become a reality.
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| The Glasgow protester, dubbed "Van Man", under the wheels of the Home Office truck. |
One thing I really enjoyed throughout the watch party was the active chat. Other students brought up easter eggs that I had never noticed. For example, one person mentioned that the title of the film consists solely of the four letters used to notate nucleic acids. Another person theorized about the name Eugene being a hint to both "genetics" and "eugenics". Little details like this made me appreciate the film's message more.
References
“Gattaca (1997) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_KruQhfvW4.
Harton, Taylor. “Big Brain Energy: The Problem with Autism Speaks.” The Daily Campus, 7 Oct. 2020, dailycampus.com/2020/10/07/big-brain-energy-the-problem-with-autism-speaks/.
Khatri, Minesh. “What Is CRISPR? What Conditions Does It Treat?” WebMD, WebMD, 14 Oct. 2019, www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/crispr-facts-overview.
Mullin, Emily. “Gene Therapy Could End Deafness. Should It?” Medium, Future Human, 26 Jan. 2021, futurehuman.medium.com/the-end-of-deafness-670f06df39cd.
Wire), (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA. “'Van Man' Activist Who Lay under Vehicle Speaks out after Pollokshields Protest.” GlasgowLive, 14 May 2021, www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/kenmure-street-protest-van-man-20597643.
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