Spacewoman (2024 film)

Spacewoman
Directed byHannah Berryman
Written byHannah Berryman
Based on
Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars
by Eileen Collins and Jonathan H. Ward
Produced by
  • Keith Haviland
  • Natasha Dack Ojumu
CinematographyIan Salvage
Edited byJames Gold
Music byMarcelo Zarvos
Production
companies
  • Haviland Digital
  • TigerLily Films
Release date
  • 2024 (2024)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Spacewoman is a documentary film written and directed by Hannah Berryman about American astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a Space Shuttle. Based on Collins's memoirs, the film chronicles her life and career, including her four Space Shuttle missions and the impact of her career on her family.

It had its world premiere at DOC NYC in November 2024 and its European premiere at CPH:DOX in March 2025.[1] The movie was shown in UK cinemas in October 2025[1] and in US cinemas from March 20th 2026.[2] It was released on US digital platforms in June 2026.[3]

Premise

Spacewoman examines the life and career of Eileen Collins, who became the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle and later the first woman to command one. Using archival footage and interviews, the documentary explores Collins's career at NASA, her experiences as a woman in aviation and spaceflight, and the impact of her career on her family.[4]

The film covers all of Collins's missions, including her role as commander of NASA's return-to-flight mission STS-114 following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, while exploring broader themes of risk, family life and the barriers faced by women in aviation and space exploration.[4]

Production

Spacewoman was written and directed by Hannah Berryman and is based on Eileen Collins's memoirs, including her 2021 book Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, co-written with Jonathan H. Ward.[5] The film was produced by Keith Haviland and Natasha Dack Ojumu for Haviland Digital and Tigerlily Productions.[6]

Producer Haviland, who had previously worked on films about space exploration, optioned Collins's memoir and approached Berryman about directing the documentary. Berryman said she was drawn to Collins's story after reading the memoir, citing her upbringing, determination to become a pilot, achievement as the first woman to pilot and command a Space Shuttle, and the emotional impact of her career on her family.[7]

Berryman said that she approached the documentary through "human storytelling", interweaving aspects of Collins's childhood with her later career to explore her resilience. The filmmakers drew on archival material from NASA as well as Collins's personal archive, which included footage recorded by her husband, Pat Youngs.[8]

The film's score was composed by Marcelo Zarvos. Berryman and producer Natasha Dack considered composers early in the production and approached Zarvos, who subsequently worked with Berryman and editor James Gold over several months. The score was recorded in Budapest and Prague.[8]

Release

Spacewoman had its world premiere at DOC NYC in November 2024. It subsequently screened at the Athena Film Festival in February 2025 and the Boulder International Film Festival before making its European premiere in the Science strand of CPH:DOX on 22 March 2025.[1] It also screened in the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival in September 2025.[9]

In October 2025, the film had received a theatrical release in selected UK cinemas.[10] Its theatrical engagements continued in the United States in 2026, including screenings in New York, Texas, Chicago, Florida, California and other locations.[8][11][12][13]

Reception

Lisa Kennedy of The New York Times designated Spacewoman a Critic's Pick, describing the documentary as "engrossing". She praised the film's portrayal of Collins's composure and its exploration of the effects of her career on her family, particularly their pride in her achievements alongside their fears following the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Kennedy also highlighted the film's editing and Marcelo Zarvos's score, writing that they effectively build tension around Collins's 2005 mission aboard Discovery.[14]

Monica Castillo, writing in her review published by RogerEbert.com, described Spacewoman as a moving, "heartwarming and inspiring" account of Collins's career and the obstacles she faced. Castillo praised the documentary's combination of home movies, NASA footage and interviews with Collins's family and former colleagues, which she said created a fuller account of Collins's professional and personal achievements. She also highlighted the film's examination of sexism, motherhood and the pressures Collins faced while working in the predominantly male environments of the United States Air Force and NASA.[15]

Mark Adams of Business Doc Europe described Spacewoman as "highly watchable" and praised Berryman's balanced portrayal of Collins's professional achievements and family life. He highlighted the film's use of archival family footage, NASA material and interviews, as well as its examination of sexism within the military and NASA. Adams noted its ability to celebrate space exploration while conveying the dangers involved and maintaining a focus on the human aspects of Collins's career.[16]

Louisa Moore, writing for Screen Zealots, notes that "The storytelling is fantastic, as Berryman weaves together history, personal narrative, and broader questions about risk and human endeavor."[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dalton, Ben. "'Spacewoman': first trailer for documentary about pioneer NASA astronaut Eileen Collins (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  2. ↑ Spry, Jeff (2026-03-21). "We chat with legendary space shuttle commander Eileen Collins about her new documentary, 'Spacewoman' (interview)". Space. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  3. ↑ Latchem, John (2026-05-04). "Documentary 'Spacewoman' About Astronaut Eileen Collins Available Digitally June 2". Media Play News. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  4. 1 2 Gotian, Dr Ruth. "Spacewoman: The Story Of NASA's First Female Space Shuttle Commander". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  5. ↑ "Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars". skyhorsepublishing.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  6. ↑ Yossman, K. J. (2024-02-06). "Chanel Doc-Maker Hannah Berryman Sets New Feature Documentary 'Spacewoman' About Astronaut Eileen Collins (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  7. ↑ Morfoot, Addie (2025-03-29). "'Spacewoman' Doc About First Woman to Command a Space Shuttle Mission Screens at CPH:DOX While NASA Axes Pledge to Land a Woman on the Moon". Variety. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  8. 1 2 3 Navarro, Marian (2026-04-06). "Eileen Collins' trailblazing journey to the stars is told in the documentary 'Spacewoman'". TPR. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  9. ↑ "2025 SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL PARTNER WITH 76th INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTICAL CONGRESS". FilmInk. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  10. ↑ "The trailblazer who made history as Nasa's first woman commander". www.bbc.com. 2025-10-21. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  11. ↑ ""Spacewoman" tells the story of astronaut Eileen Collins - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
  12. ↑ Edwards, Brooke. "First female shuttle commander's story on Space Coast screen". Florida Today. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  13. ↑ Wahab, Mina (2026-05-30). "Spacewoman" Documentary Spotlights NASA Trailblazer Eileen Collins". News Channel 3-12. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  14. ↑ Kennedy, Lisa (2026-03-19). "'Spacewoman' Review: Mission Driven". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  15. ↑ "Spacewoman review: Eileen Collins astronaut doc reaches for the stars". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  16. ↑ Adams, Mark (2025-03-28). "CPH:DOX SCIENCE review: Spacewoman by Hannah Berryman". Business Doc Europe. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  17. ↑ ""Spacewoman"". Screen Zealots. 2026-05-04. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.