Space Tourists

The second documentary that I watched was Space Tourists (official website here). The documentary is about space travel based in Russia and some of the different groups that are effected or involved in the scene. As I watched the documentary, I wondered what the point of the film was. I couldn't figure out what the take home message. After sitting through the end credits, I'm left thinking that there isn't a main message. It's more of a documentary weaves together different vignettes so that you have a better understanding of the subject matter and different points of view that can be had. The themes were: an abandoned space centre in Kazakhstan, Anousheh Ansari’s journey to the International Space Station as a space tourist, local citizens scavenging and selling charred parts of discarded rocket that dropped from the sky or even using the parts in their daily lives, a team from Romania competing to win a contemporary space race, and the rigorous training of space tourist Charles Simonyi.
I think it would be really cool to go into space. It seems like something I would totally enjoy. I'm pretty sure that I'll never get up there. I'm sure if I put my mind to it, there could be a chance that I could get closer to that goal (if not achieve it), but I have other priorities. If I acquire a bazillion dollars, I may become a space tourist, but otherwise, I don't want to turn my attention from my other pursuits.
Oh yes, I really liked the incidental music for this film. It thought it was well suited to the themes examined and well timed with certain visual moments on screen.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a Q&A after the film. It's always my favorite part of the screening and I could see it being quite enlightening for this doc.

- picture courtesy of hotdocs.ca