Dr. Mark Plotkin first traveled to the Amazon twenty years ago seeking a cure for diabetes, the disease that killed his grandmothers. There he found extraordinary biological riches. He found a magical world of shape-shifti... more »ng shamans who healed with sophisticated plant medicines. In this paradise, the renowned scientist and author met the challenge of his life: how could he save this treasure when each year brought more destruction? Rain forest conservation is a familiar issue to every schoolchild; what is less well known is that the cultures of the jungles are disappearing faster than the forests themselves. Yet the indigenous people of the Amazon, living in these remote regions for millennia, are the only true experts about this vast and little understood region. They employ an amazing array of plants for their survival without disturbing the fragile ecology of the jungle. As Mark Plotkin came to understand, when native knowledge is lost we suffer the immeasurable loss of extinction, both spiritually and scientifically. Beautifully filmed in the distant forests of Suriname, this documentary weaves a compelling and complex tale of rainforest medicine, shamanism, persistence, and passion. The Shaman's Apprentice is a luminous and powerful story of one man's quest to preserve the ancient wisdom of our species.« less