The Voyagers
In the summer of 1977, NASA sent Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 on an epic journey into interstellar space. Each spacecraft carries a golden record album, a massive compilation of images and sounds embodying the best of Planet Earth. According to Carl Sagan, “[t]he spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space. But the launching of this bottle into the cosmic ocean says something very hopeful about life on this planet.” While working on the golden record, Sagan met and fell madly in love with his future wife Annie Druyan. The golden record became their love letter to humankind and to each other. In the summer of 2010, I began my own hopeful voyage into the unknown. This film is a love letter to my fellow traveler. It’s a valentine to Carl Sagan an the way that he really embodies the place where scientific skepticism meets child-like awe and wonder and joy and optimism (via Penny Lane)
If you can get through 5 minutes of this, and watch it in a quiet place, without checking your email or sending a text, then this quiet, perfect, doc/personal essay will be the most wonderful juxtaposition display of courage and fear, wild love and rationality. I REALLY hope you give this piece a chance, even if it’s later this week or later this month.
