The Astronauts Who Saw This Were Never the Same Again

10

On the 40th anniversary of the famous ‘Blue Marble’ photograph taken of Earth from space, Planetary Collective presents a short film documenting astronauts’ life-changing stories of seeing the Earth from the outside – a perspective-altering experience often described as the Overview Effect.

The Overview Effect, first described by author Frank White in 1987, is an experience that transforms astronauts’ perspective of the planet and mankind’s place upon it. Common features of the experience are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

‘Overview’ is a short film that explores this phenomenon through interviews with five astronauts who have experienced the Overview Effect. The film also features insights from commentators and thinkers on the wider implications and importance of this understanding for society, and our relationship to the environment.

Trending Videos
The Great Disconnect (2020) ($5)
60 min - We are living in a time that has been described as the age of loneliness. Despite Western advances in technology, living conditions, education and healthcare, we, as a society, are isolating...
Abby Martin & Immortal Technique: Civil War (2023)
63 min - Legendary rapper Immortal Technique joins Abby to discuss the escalating tensions of the post-Trump era, the duopoly playing Americans, right-wing cooptation of conspiracy theory and deep-state...
Briahna Joy Gray Examines the Role of Race and Authoritarianism in Police Violence
19 min - Every minute of this is fantastic commentary, from CRT in schools, to why police violence should be framed more often as authoritarian, to the censorship and school defunding campaign being led by...
PBS FRONTLINE: The Persuaders (2005)
87 min - Frontline examines the "persuasion industries" -- advertising and public relations. To cut through consumers' growing resistance to their pitches, marketers have developed new ways of integrating...
Foundational Knowledge For Addressing Root Causes
Our Library is 99% Free and Always Will Be. Here are Some of Our Favorites.
We Need Activism to Have More Compassion In It
Recommended

Films For Action hosts a subscription service that currently offers 55 highly-curated, solutions-oriented films to Patron subscribers donating $5 per month. 

Subscribe here. Your support helps grow our 5000+ video library, which is 99% free and contains no ads thanks to our patrons.

Cancel any time via your settings page.

 

How to Use and Contribute to this Library

  • Use the Explore menu to filter content by type and topic. Selections stack, so you can view Film Types about Specific Topics.

  • Submit videos directly to our library! Just sign up and click +Add Video at the top of the site and paste the video URL to get started. 

  • Create an account to save videos and articles for later and rate content for others

  • Filmmakers: Interested in our TVOD or SVOD services? Films For Action is one of the best homes for paradigm-shifting documentaries.

  • Contact us if you have a site or film suggestion, question, want to volunteer, or you're a filmmaker looking to collaborate. 

    Let's be the media!