
2025 • Documentary
Availability
Available until Nov 30, 2026
Available Worldwide
Speakers Available
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About the film
Over millennia, humanity has mastered agriculture, raised monumental bridges and temples, walked on the Moon, but do we truly run the world? In this captivating documentary, filmmakers Dru Carr and Doug Hawes-Davis refocus their lens on a far more powerful force: insects. By zooming in on the reality of bees, butterflies, beetles, and their kin—tiny, alien-like architects of life—they reveal how these distant cousins on our evolutionary tree sustain ecosystems and, ultimately, our own survival. As they face unprecedented decline, their fate becomes a stark warning: without them, neither we nor the planet can endure. Even still, there is hope!
Director
Doug Hawes-Davis, Dru Carr
Producer
Doug Hawes-Davis
Crew
Damon Ristau, Ken Furrow
Upcoming screenings
Awards & recognition
Colorado Environmental Film Festival
Official Selection
International Documentary Film Festival of Uruguay
Official Selection
Beholders - Documentary Dialogues
International Premiere
Better Cities Film Festival
Festival Highlight
Sidewalk Film Festival
Official Selection
Twelve Lions Film Festival
Best Cinematography
Mesa International Film Festival
Official Selection
Poulsbo Film Festival
Best Feature Film
St. Louis International Film Festival
Official Selection
San Diego Environmental Film Festival
Official Selection
San Diego Movie Awards
Best Documentary Feature
Buenos Aires International Film Festival
Finalist
Santa Clarita International Film Festival
Official Selection
Lighthouse International Film Festival
Jen Snyder-Bryceland Award Winner
Richmond International Film Festival
Grand Jury Nominee
International Movie Awards Indie
Best Documentary Feature
Ceres Food Film Festival
Spirit Award Winner
East Lansing Film Festival
Best Documentary
Frozen River Film Festival
Official Selection
Orion International Film Festival
Best Environmental Film
Skyfire Environmental Film Festival
Official Selection
What people are saying
‘We honor a film that champions a crucial environmental theme with artistic mastery, transforming what could be a purely academic subject into an accessible and deeply engaging cinematic experience. More importantly, it leaves us with a sense of wonder and a gentle, optimistic call to action, inspiring us to appreciate and protect the delicate balance of our natural world. It’s a mesmerizing exploration of the vital yet often overlooked role of insects in our global ecosystem. It is both scientifically rigorous and visually stunning, taking us on a journey into the intricate world of these tiny creatures, and reminding us how fundamental they are to life as we know it.‘
Lighthouse International Film Festival Jury
‘"THE LITTLE THINGS THAT RUN THE WORLD is a passionate and comprehensive deep dive into the ecological crisis facing flying insects and the ripple effects on global biodiversity."‘
Staff
Doc Screenings International Film Festival
‘"With enchanting visuals and playful vignettes, this film reveals how cities depend on global biodiversity, from insects to plants, to sustain life and human well-being. It’s a powerful reminder that urban life is deeply connected to the wider natural world, and that healthy cities require the vitality of all species"‘
Staff
‘Life on Earth is in the middle of a major re-alignment of species composition. The smallest of creatures – insects – hold the fabric of all life together. They are the most numerous of all animal groups on the planet. But insects are declining at an alarming rate throughout the world, threatening innumerable species, whole ecosystems, and even our food systems with collapse. This is story about untangling the mysteries as to why something so ubiquitous – and seemingly endless – could be on the cusp of disappearing entirely. It is also the story of heroic efforts to save these most vulnerable of creatures.‘
Staff