When the editorial team at BBC Storyworks approached me to develop and direct their first long-form documentary on ‘the next pandemic’, I wasn’t sure I was the right person for the job. With COVID-19 still fresh in all our minds, the idea felt uncomfortably close. But as we began working closely with the team, it quickly became clear that this was a story that urgently needed telling.
What we uncovered was not only the terrifying reality of a post-antibiotic future, but a powerful network of scientists, technologists, healthcare professionals, and advocates pushing back—despite immense obstacles. Their work is bold, necessary, and inspiring.
Stories like Tori’s—a college gymnast whose once-curable infection became a life-threatening crisis—and Kerry’s—who battled relentless superbugs after a routine ear infection—make one thing devastatingly clear: antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could affect any one of us.
Filming across three continents, we crafted a deeply human story that’s now being used to raise awareness at the highest levels. The documentary has given rise to a series of curated screenings to politicians, policymakers, and industry leaders around the world, helping to galvanise global momentum on the AMR crisis. Broadcast across the BBC World News network to over 90 million people, and amassing nearly 400,000 views on YouTube, the film demonstrates the power of long-form storytelling to engage, educate, and activate.
“The audience metrics exceeded our expectations and really impressed our board members and my bosses….the film continues to be a launch pad for us to engage policymakers and other high-level stakeholders. We’ve done screenings at Harvard, the UK Embassy in Washington, up in Canada with a room full of policymakers etc. We’re doing one in Geneva soon, and possibly one in Japan. Having an asset like this to hang events on opens up doors I didn’t think would be possible.
the StoryWorks team really nailed it on this one. The high production quality added legitimacy and elevated the patient and scientific storylines, and you don’t get the sense after watching it that you just devoted 40 minutes of your life to an extended advert. It feels like a documentary. It looks like a documentary. And it engenders emotions and critical thinking, like a good documentary should.”
Chris Sweeney
Communications Director, AMR Action Fund
“This is the most compelling narrative on AMR I’ve seen. It’s a privilege to be included in this amazing production. You and your crew are total rockstars. Amazing”
Jon Stokes
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University
This is absolutely incredible— I had chills watching it!!! Thank you, many times over, for allowing me to be part of this work! It was truly a privilege.
Tori Kinamon
Orthopaedic Surgery Resident, Brooke Army Medical Center
“I just watched and it’s beautifully done - wow you, Simon and the team did an amazing job and am blown away by the poignant interviews, visual style, narrative and how personal it feels with the patient stories. Thank you for including us in this important, timely and incredible project. We are humbled and thrilled to be featured.”
Akhila Kosaraju
CEO and President, Phare Bio
credits
Executive Producer: Pam Mangat
Producer: Isabel Colbourn
Director: Simon Waldron
Production Manager: Steve Lennon
Assistant Producer: Katherine Stokes
DOP (US): Cody Ball
DOP (UK): Oliver Schofield
Specialised Macro Filming: Gareth Whyte
Ghana Remote Crew: ReWild
Camera Assistant: Owen Kibby
Music / Score: Thomas William Hill
Graphics & Animation: Danny Sturgess
3D Animation: Chris Mayo at Mutant Labs
Colourist: Duncan Russell
Online: Halo Post Production