A Short Film on Variant Bio’s Genomics Research Partnership in the Faroe Islands
Illustrating the collaboration between Variant Bio, the Genetic Biobank of the Faroe Islands, and the University of Copenhagen
When, as Variant Bio’s CSO and co-founder, I traveled to the Faroe Islands to design a genomics project with Ílegusavnið and the University of Copenhagen, filmmaker Tom Martienssen followed close behind. The resulting film — available below in both English and Faroese — offers a unique glimpse into what it’s like in practice to collaborate with Variant Bio. By joining me, Tom was able to capture not only the stunning natural landscapes of the Faroe Islands, but also Variant Bio’s overarching approach to research and the perspectives of our local collaborators.
Tom is an Emmy-winning director and cinematographer and former BBC journalist who has filmed in over 50 countries around the world. In addition to this film from the Faroe Islands, he has documented Variant Bio’s approach to research in French Polynesia (available here) as well as the perspective of Variant Bio’s advisor and Indigenous futurist Dr. Keolu Fox on the importance of benefit sharing in genomics research (available on our homepage). This kind of visual documentation is critical to communicating Variant Bio’s ethical approach to human genomics research. No matter how often or how well we describe our process, words often fall short of conveying the ethos of our mission as a company. Videos and images, on the other hand, offer an immediate feel for how we actually work on the ground. In a matter of seconds, Tom’s films illustrate the various stages of our partnerships — from community engagement to study execution and benefit sharing. Critically, they also showcase a multiplicity of voices, demonstrating our commitment to project co-design and collaboration, as well as the trust and rapport we work so hard to establish with researchers and community stakeholders around the world.
