Science Movie Night: Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants

Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is an animated film that tells the story of a bold young ladybug caught between two tribes of ants battling over an abandoned picnic. Befriending a black ant, the ladybug helps him save his anthill from the assault of red ant warriors.

Co-written and directed by Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo, Minuscule is a sound film with a synchronized soundtrack, but no spoken dialogue. The film shares the creative universe of the Minuscule television series created by the same duo. The film won the César Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 40th César Awards.

Stick around after the film for a discussion with Dr. Jack Longino, a professor of biology at the University of Utah. He has more than 30 years of experience working in the rainforests of Central America, leading expeditions and conducting research on insect diversity and natural history.

Dr. Longino will also be presenting a lecture called “ANTS: Little Things That Run the World!” on May 6 at the Day-Riverside Branch Library in Salt Lake City.

Science Movie Night is presented by the Natural History Museum of Utah in partnership with the Utah Film Center.