Overview

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.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the famous “Blue Marble” photograph taken of Earth from space, this short film was produced, documenting astronauts’ life-changing stories of seeing the earth from the outside. The film explores the phenomenon of the Overview Effect through interviews with five astronauts who have experienced it. 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.