Hollywood and commercial cinema often portray microbes as villains—causing deadly epidemics, fueling apocalyptic scenarios, or being weaponized for destruction. This stereotype reinforces a cultural bias known as germophobia. But a new review argues that films can also serve as powerful educational tools to challenge this perception, helping audiences appreciate the indispensable role microorganisms play in sustaining life on Earth and driving innovations such as food fermentation, antibiotic production, biofuels, and bioremediation.
The article, Positive Microbiology in the Movies, published in Microbial Biotechnology, is authored by Dr. Manuel Sánchez-Angulo of the University Miguel Hernández and ISABIAL. His research shows that commercial films can highlight microbes as allies, not just enemies.
“Movies shape our cultural imagination. Unfortunately, microbes are almost always cast as the bad guys,” said Sánchez-Angulo. “But in reality, microbes help us make wine and cheese, produce antibiotics, clean up pollution, and could even support life beyond Earth. Film can help restore that balance.”
The review identifies 30 films that showcase microbes in a positive light, from Oscar winners to cult classics. Among them:

• The Martian (2015), where soil microbes help grow potatoes on Mars.
• French Kiss (1995), which celebrates the microbial magic behind 452 varieties of French cheese.
• Breaking the Mould (2009), a BBC drama about the discovery of penicillin.
• Avatar (2009), with its glowing vision of microbial symbiosis.
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), where fungi and microbes help cleanse a toxic world in a story of ecological renewal.

The review spans films across medicine, food microbiology, environmental science, and even space exploration. Beyond the silver screen, Sánchez-Angulo has tested this approach in his classrooms for more than a decade. By starting lessons with short “micro-clips” — brief film scenes featuring microbes — he found students were more engaged, remembered concepts longer, and even years later could link movies back to microbiology lessons.
By reframing microbes as allies rather than threats, this innovative approach aligns with the goals of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative (https://imili.org/). It not only counters widespread misconceptions but also sparks curiosity and scientific literacy, making microbiology more accessible — and more inspiring — for students and society at large.
The full article, “Positive Microbiology in the Movies,” is available open access in Microbial Biotechnology: https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.70085