As the managing editor of The CRISPR Journal, I consider myself to be a science communicator. When not wrapping up my PhD in Rodolphe Barrangou’s lab, I work to promote science education in hopes of furthering the dialogue on genome editing. However, none of my efforts come close to achieving what filmmaker Adam Bolt has done with his documentary, Human Nature.

Recently our lab was treated to a screening of the film at the Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, NC. The crowd was visibly excited for the sold-out screening. The movie features some of the biggest names in the CRISPR community, including Jennifer Doudna, Feng Zhang, and George Church: pioneers in the field, experts in the technology, and just downright interesting people. But what makes this film truly compelling is its balance. All of the narratives from these scientific heavy hitters were coupled with engaging, relatable accounts and stories from bioethicists, a genetic counselor, and most importantly, the patients and their families.

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But what really changed the game was when Jill Banfield, a microbial researcher at University of California Berkeley, informed her colleague, Jennifer Doudna, of these unique gene features—a fact she hopes will one day be emblazoned on her gravestone. Today, CRISPR genome editing is virtually ubiquitous in research laboratories around the globe. Stanford University Law professor, Hank Greely, compares CRISPR-based genome editing to the Model T—although there were predecessors, Ford made the car both cheap and reliable so that suddenly everyone could own one. CRISPR is the new PCR, and companies such as California-based Synthego are helping to enable broader access to this technology. However, on camera, Synthego made sure to emphasize that they “don’t ship to just anyone.” Evidently, biohackers and rogue scientists (the He Jiankui controversy broke too recently to be included in the film) are a growing concern.