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Spacewoman: trailblazing astronaut Eileen Collins makes for a compelling and thoughtful documentary subject
- Eileen Collins features in Spacewoman; a documentary that skilfully traces the astronaut's life from her childhood to her status as a trailblazing spaceflight pioneer. Encounters with family, former colleagues and footage from the time, recount Collins' achievements and sacrifices. Director, Hannah Berryman, concentrates the film on the four key missions defining Collins' work at NASA, with candid interviews from colleagues and missions displaying the precision and haphazardness of space travel. Collins' experienced the birth of her daughter, shortly after her first space mission, whose memories, devastatingly include Collins' explanation of the Challenger space craft explosion.
- Spacewoman forges a balance of the personal and technical achievements of Eileen Collins. Collins' excelled in a male-dominated world of aviation and space exploration. The film celebrates moments of wonder, too, with Collins describing her first sunrise from space or recalling the chocolate shuttles she brought as gifts for the Mir cosmonauts. Collins unsurprisingly proves central to many of the film's most inspiring scenes and the documentary is a comprehensive must-watch for fans of history and space travel.
- Director Hannah Berryman wisely toggles focus through Collins' life's legs, notably, Collins' final mission STS-114, where the film's intensity rises with the mission teetering on the brink of disaster, due to issues readily apparent to the non-space initiation. It is an energetic moment in the film borne from a compelling topic and talented cast.
- Spacewoman addresses a profound question in the pursuit of human progress: how much risk is acceptable? This film suggests those committed to something greater than themselves are willing to risk everything. Collins' career embodies this ethos, defined by an unshakeable resolve, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
- The documentary screened at the DOC NYC festival in 2024 and is due for release in 2025. Spacewoman is more than a tribute to a trailblazer; it's a testament to human perseverance, curiosity and courage. Berryman finds a gripping, deeply personal narrative that will resonate with audiences globally.
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