The Space Race
Directed by:
Lisa Cortes & Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
ABOUT THE FILM
The Space Race captures the journey of space flight through the unrelenting spirit and resilience of the black community and those who would break down barriers for astronauts who would follow. This documentary uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers, and scientists to become astronauts. It weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight, and Charles Bolden.
Addressing the racial injustice within NASA across several decades, the film follows these pioneers who fought to overcome both the obstacles encountered during their astronaut training and the challenges that stemmed from the racial prejudice and discrimination present at the time. It highlights how their perseverance challenged the definition of “the right stuff,” even when their stories were omitted from the history books.
CREDITS & TRAILER
Directors
Lisa Cortes
Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
Writer
Mark Monroe
Producers
Carolyn Bernstein
Keero Birla (as Keero Singh Birla)
Alex Bowen
Lisa Cortes
Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
Leland Melvin
Mark Monroe
Aly Parker
Executive Producers
Frank Marshall
Tony Rosenthal
Ryan Suffern
Composers
Jongnic Bontemps
Anna Drubich
Editor
Robert A. Martinez
Sound Department
Danny Clayton, Sound Mixer
Rusty Dunn, Sound Designer | Sound Effects Editor
Joe Earle, Re-recording Mixer
Angelina Faulkner, Dialogue Editor | Supervising Sound Editor
Justin Hennard, Sound Recordist
Pernell L. Salinas, Assistant Sound Editor
Scott Szabo, Sound Mixer
Robin Warren, Re-recording Mixer
Editorial Department
Quinn Alvarez, Colorist
LaRue Anderson, Digital Intermediate EP
Rigoberto Madrigal, Supervising Online Editor
Stefanie Schaldenbrand, Digital Intermediate Head Of Production
Inaya Graciana Yusuf, Additional Editor
Additional Music
Jacques Brautbar
David Cerquetti
Desmond Murray
Additional Crew
Tim Horsburgh, Vice President: National Geographic Documentary Films
Stephen Slater, NASA Archive Consultant
The Space Race Official Trailer
The Space Race
Directed by:
Lisa Cortes & Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
2023
91 minutes
FHFF On-Demand Streaming Partner
