From the Film Review Archives: In the Shadow of the Moon

On this anniversary of the moon landing (Italian time), few space documentaries are as well-executed and relevant as David Sington and Christopher Ray’s In the Shadow of the Moon.

The film was a stand out at the 2007 Philadelphia Film Festival. Here’s an excerpt from my festival recap:

"In the British documentary, directors David Sington and Christopher Ray make the story of the Apollo space missions fresh by focusing on the very human triumphs of the astronauts who made the journey to the moon. Each interviewee speaks in poetic terms about their adventures, with one astronaut saying that looking back on Earth made him realize that "We are the guardians of Eden." By juxtaposing insightful dialogue with pristine shots of the cosmos, the film captures the excitement and awe of this landmark event in human history.”

During a week where news media has resorted to clichéd platitudes to describe the first moon landing, In the Shadow of the Moon captures the Apollo endeavor in a fascinating new light.