In this dramatic follow-up to the widely acclaimed UNDER OUR SKIN, EMERGENCE takes the viewer on a journey from horror to hope. We witness the emerging epidemic of Lyme disease as infection and education spread globally. We watch as the truth emerges about the disease’s persistence and reach, about promising new research, and about medical collusion and conflicts of interest that continue to impede progress. We revisit the characters from UNDER OUR SKIN as they emerge into better health, reclaiming their lives and dignity, and offering hope to the legions now suffering. As Lyme disease surges, EMERGENCE shines a probing light on the issue and becomes a beacon in the dark.

FROM HORROR TO HOPE

Academy Award semifinalist UNDER OUR SKIN brought unprecedented awareness to the shocking story of Lyme disease, an often-chronic condition many doctors claim is “all in your head."  Since then, and in response to the pressure the film brought, the CDC upped its estimate of annual cases by ten times, making Lyme disease in the U.S. more prevalent than HIV and breast cancer combined.  Screened to millions worldwide, the film has saved lives and livelihoods of both Lyme patients and the physicians treating them. Scientific hypotheses, such as Lyme biofilms, first introduced in UNDER OUR SKIN, are now widely accepted. This highly-anticipated sequel investigates the deepening Lyme disease crisis and follows its casualties and controversies around the world.  As the Lyme epidemic explodes globally, medical collusion and conflicts of interest incriminate the very healthcare systems meant to protect us.  Despite the obstacles that researchers, physicians and patients continue to face, promising new findings are emerging.  And when we revisit the unforgettable characters from UNDER OUR SKIN, we see that they have moved from horror to hope, arriving at better health and reclaiming their lives.  (2014, 60 min.)

“Essential viewing... the simplest way to get up to speed on one of the most critical health care issues facing America today.”
— LymeDisease.org

Producer/Director/Cinematographer
Andrew Abrahams

Editor
Elias Koch

Gold Award
National Health Information Association