16 January 2019

New Documentary About Space Artist Chesley Bonestell

Richard Fienberg

Richard Fienberg American Astronomical Society

This announcement is adapted from ChesleyBonestell.com:

Chesley Bonestell Film

Long before satellites would journey to planets and deep-space telescopes would photograph distant galaxies, there was an artist whose dazzling visions of planets and stars would capture the imagination of all who beheld them. Before that, he was an architect working on projects like the Chrysler Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. He would later become a matte painter in Hollywood working on films like Citizen Kane and Destination Moon. Who was this remarkable man? His name was Chesley Bonestell (1888-1986).

Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With the Future is a feature-length documentary on his life, works, and influence. The film ​premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Newport Beach, California, on 1 May 2018, where it was honored with the Audience Award in the category of Art, Architecture, and Design. It also screened at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival on 20 July 2018, winning the Best Documentary award.

Watch the Trailer

Here are some upcoming screenings, where you can not only see the film but also meet some of the people behind it:

Keep your eye on the film's Screenings web page for additional opportunities. 

With rare photos and exclusive footage, Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With the Future takes viewers on a fascinating journey through Bonestell's legacy. The film is produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Douglass M. Stewart Jr. and co-produced by space artist Ron Miller and Bonestell historian Melvin Schuetz. Miller, Schuetz, and Frederick C. Durant III collaborated on the Hugo Award-winning book The Art of Chesley Bonestell, now a collector's item in its own right. There has never been a film made about Bonestell before. This production provides perspective on the life and works of one of America's most influential, but unfortunately overlooked and forgotten, visionaries.