SNACK at The Glasgow Film Festival 2020

Proxima

An inspired choice to open this year’s festival takes the unusual approach of telling a space travel story without ever taking us off our planet. Instead we centre on the meticulous planning that goes into launching a mission to take astronauts to the International Space Station, chiefly French astronaut and single mother Sarah (Eva Green) who has to prepare as much emotionally to leave her young daughter Stella (Zélie Boulant) for what will be a whole year as much as the rigorous physical and mental preparation required. By rather cleverly keeping its feet firmly on the ground and avoiding flashy Interstellar-esque sci-fi, writer-director Alice Winocour (Disorder, Mustang) gives the drama a relatable, grounded quality while still maintaining a sense of wonder as the starry destination lies constantly above. Green is utterly compelling in the lead role of a woman caught between her mission and her motherly instinct, anchoring a film that remembers that human stories are often the ones that often strike the biggest chord in both the heart and mind.

Proxima is in cinemas from May 8th.