Pernel Media has secured exclusive access for a new documentary project on a major recent paleontological discovery that is believed to hold the key to understanding the origins of mammals some hundreds of millions of years ago.
In 2023, after four decades of excavation, South African and French paleontologists unearthed the oldest known deposit of therapsids, the oldest ancestors of mammals, in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The fossils represent the oldest mammalian ancestors ever found, and prove that, contrary to common belief, mammalian ancestors ruled the Earth long before the emergence of dinosaurs.
The 90-minute documentary will follow the scientists’ 2024 excavation, as well as their ongoing research. Cutting-edge CGI and visual effects will bring the extinct therapsids back to life along with their ancient world, and will illustrate the evolution of mammals to show their transformation into the diverse family they are today.
The doc will be directed by Thomas Cirotteau and co-written with Eric Pincas (After the Asteroid, Rise of Birds), with Pernel’s Céline Payot Lehmann serving as executive producer.