Roger Nygard, director of the straight-to-video sequel documentary Trekkies 2, told SCI FI Wire that the follow-up to the hit 1997 film about Star Trek fandom moves the spotlight to the rest of the world, visiting Trek fans in eight countries in North and South America and Europe, as well as Australia. "We figured we should start with the biggest convention, which is Fed-Con in Bonn, Germany," Nygard said in an interview. "Then it was a matter of following where the next conventions were and where were the best Star Trek fan leads we had."

Trekkies 2, again narrated by Star Trek: The Next Generation cast member Denise Crosby, moved to a Trek con in Italy; then to France, where the Star Trek fan organization is called Unification; and to the United Kingdom. The production crew discovered that Trekkies overseas shared many things in common with American fans, including Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's optimistic view of the future; Vulcan philosophy; and a "Prime-Directive"-based philosophy of life, Nygard said. "The differences were usually cultural-based," he added. "The Germans love Star Trek with their beer; they know how to party. The Italian convention has the best food, hands down. Star Trek fans are still not mainstream in France, because television shows are not considered a part of culture there. Yet." Trekkies 2 also filmed the first Star Trek convention ever held in the wartorn Balkans. "And it was an emotional event as well," Nygard said. "There were tears in our eyes when it came time to leave."

The most surprising thing Nygard said he discovered was that "everybody around the world is learning how to speak English by watching Star Trek. And if they learned the basics elsewhere, they learned pronunciation and sci-fi terms from the show. This television show is an American ambassador to the world. That, and Survivor and Baywatch, I guess. But at least Star Trek is in the mix." Trekkies 2 is a direct-to-DVD feature and will be distributed in the United States and Canada on Aug. 31. The film will also screen on July 29 at the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas.