Half animal, half vegetable, the Cordyceps Sinensis is a unique combination of a caterpillar and a wild mushroom, that grows at 4000 meters on the high plateaus of Tibet. Renowned for its stimulating effects on the immune system, and also known as the "viagra of the Himalayas", it has become the new El Dorado in the Chinese economy.
From the high plateaus of the Himalayas to the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Hong Kong and drug purveyors from Southeast Asia, traffickers rush to corner the market. At around 25,000 euros per kilogram, the Cordyceps is now more expensive than Gold!
Direction: Jeanne Mascolo
Production: Strawberry Films for ARTE