Heart of an Astronaut

Space flight is a unique experience for a human being. Our bodies are not adapted to the journey - especially the heart, whose energy is powerfully protected by the Earth's magnetic field. Astronauts’ hearts must be prepared for the extreme conditions to which they are constantly exposed. Brigitte Godard, the astronauts’ doctor, is our guide for observing the intimacy of life on a space mission. At all moments - whether the atsronauts are on the point of taking off, weightless in the International Space Station, or floating without any bearings in the vastness of space - she is monitoring their every heartbeat. Jennifer Rainsford (All of Our Heartbeats Are Connected Through Exploding Stars, VdR 2022) structures her exploration around the figure of the scientist. With her feet firmly planted on the ground, she is the solid link to the space station where earthly reference points no longer exist. The shots are eloquent, and us viewers become weightless in turn, with only the doctor's voice to guide us. The Earth appears in the distance, revealing its fragility. 

Madeline Robert