Movie spotlight
In 1991 a group of countercultural visionaries built an enormous replica of earth’s ecosystem called Biosphere 2. When eight “biospherians” lived sealed inside, they faced ecological calamities and cult accusations. Their epic adventure is a cautionary tale but also a testament to the power of small groups reimagining the world.
Spaceship Earth chronicles the ambitious and ultimately utopian experiment of Biosphere 2, a massive enclosed ecological system built in the Arizona desert in the early 1990s. The documentary follows the eight "biospherians" who volunteered to seal themselves off from the outside world for two years, facing immense scientific, personal, and psychological challenges. It explores their idealistic vision of creating a self-sustaining world and the complex realities that unfolded within its glass walls.
Spaceship Earth was met with widespread critical acclaim, praised for its fascinating subject matter, compelling storytelling, and thoughtful exploration of humanity's relationship with nature and technology. Critics lauded director Matt Wolf's ability to weave together archival footage, interviews, and a captivating narrative that highlights both the triumphs and the absurdities of the Biosphere 2 project.
A captivating and relevant documentary about a bold experiment in self-sufficiency.
Explores timely themes of environmentalism, human nature, and the pursuit of utopian ideals.
Engagingly told, blending historical footage with contemporary insights.
Google audience: Audience reviews generally praise the film's unique and thought-provoking subject matter, finding it both entertaining and educational. Many viewers were fascinated by the Biosphere 2 experiment and its implications for our understanding of planetary systems and human cooperation. The documentary is often described as a compelling look at a remarkable historical event.
Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival (2020).
During the Biosphere 2 experiment, the "biospherians" experienced a significant drop in oxygen levels, leading to concerns for their health and requiring external intervention, a dramatic twist that was not part of the original plan.
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“Spaceship Earth” is a documentary that fails on the most basic level: it tells the story that nobody wants to hear. The film, blessed with the compelling story of the spectacular failure that was Arizona’s Biosphere 2 project, squanders it...