Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Night Sky


A Hollywood studio, big picture feel is evident throughout this grand in vision yet touching and introspective short from LA. Writer and Director Greg Rulfs, whose IMDB credits include visual effects, assistant directing and sci-fi, has created quite a calling card with Night Sky. The storytelling is excellent, and so is the VFX on the back of his experience, but this film also has that special "It Factor"—a highly relatable abundance of heart and wide wonder normally associated with the works of much more experienced filmmakers at the tops of their crafts. Steven Spielberg comes to mind; that is to say, Rulfs could be onto something. 

The story revolves around 9-year-old Sam Collins, a kid in deep retreat after losing his father. The boy has set up an imaginary spaceship in his bedroom—an homage to his father's promise to take him to the international space station someday—and there Sam plays, hoping for a miracle. 

That or sweet, sweet death. 

Just then a young voice crackles over his ham radio and the girl, named Marie, offers to pull him away from this make-believe world in a surprising and exciting way. Sam might still pursue his space station dream, after all, and he has a new person on Earth who can lead him there. 

You can watch the trailer here: Night Sky Trailer