Daphnia (1928): cast, story & where to watch
1928 · Film · ★ 6.4
Released in 1928, Daphnia is a notable film directed by Jean Painlevé.
What it’s about. Titles in French and English help us know what we're seeing. In all waters, daphnia abound. They are crustaceans about 2 ml long, with one eye that turns in all directions. Antennae enable daphnia to move: in a close up magnified 150,000 times, we see the muscles of the antennae pulse. We see the eye, the nerve mass, blood globules, and the heart, beating several times per second. The intestine forms a long line. All are females; eggs develop above the intestine. New generations come rapidly. Inside each daphnia are tiny infusoria; we watch them clean the intestine of a dead daphnia. An enemy, the hydra, approaches. A daphnia dies, but many remain.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, Daphnia has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Daphnia page.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Daphnia (1928)?
- In US, Daphnia is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Daphnia worth watching?
- Daphnia holds an audience score of 6.4 out of 10. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- When was Daphnia released?
- Daphnia was released in 1928.