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To the moon and back

A film by

ELISA GÓMEZ ALVAREZ

Space becomes a refuge, a mental sanctuary for self-reinvention. Through a sensory mise en scène, somewhere between classic cinema and science fiction, the filmmaker captures the vulnerability, enthusiasm and faith of these brilliant young souls. A vibrant film that views Gen Z not as heroes, but as sensitive beings searching, against all odds, for a new horizon.

Anne Delseth (Visions du Réel, Selection committee)

SYNOPSIS

To the Moon and Back follows Ilyasse from Morocco, and Pauline from the Philippines, two Gen Z scientists shaped by a personal history of uprooting, chasing the dream of becoming an astronaut. As their journeys unfold, Ilyasse and Pauline find themselves torn between their ideals of inclusion and sustainability and the fiercely competitive world of contemporary space exploration. The film exposes how the new space race reproduces old hierarchies of gender, geography and access, all against the backdrop of an uncertain future on Earth. Set between reality and dream, between grounded struggles and whimsical moon mission simulations, To the Moon and Back becomes a true exploration of what it means to belong — and whether space exploration is a way forward or a way to escape.

CONTEXT

With Ilyasse from Morocco and Pauline from the Philippines, we dive into the Gen Z space community —a virtual network of young enthusiasts viewing the space industry as an interdisciplinary realm ripe for exploration. These international geeks represent the future generation of exceptional scientists and leaders. They come from diverse fields—engineering, medicine, biology, physics—driven by a thirst for knowledge and its practical application in the space industry. They firmly believe in the transformative power of science in addressing pressing challenges such as climate change. Driven by insatiable curiosity, backed by prestigious academic credentials and fluency in several languages, they strive to push the limits of knowledge and to break social, gender, and cultural norms. They see the astronaut as the perfect symbol of their ethos —scientific rigor meets the spirit of exploration.

ASCLEPIOS, an astronaut simulation training, hosted at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), brings the characters together — guided by expert mentors, it frames their aspirations and interweaves their paths.

ILYASSE

Ilyasse grew up in a modest neighborhood in Casablanca, collecting fragments of asteroids in the Sahara. Curious and academically brilliant, he earned his way to France and now to Germany, navigating a fragile reality shaped by visas, borders, and unequal systems.

Caught between ambition and exclusion, he moves through a space industry still largely inaccessible to the Global South, seeking his place within a cohort dominated by Europeans and Americans. Despite setbacks and constant bureaucratic barriers, he refuses to give up. As he prepares for an analogue space mission, Ilyasse begins to understand that his journey is not only about becoming an analog astronaut, but about challenging who gets to belong there.

FLORENCE PAULINE

Grew up “in the middle of nowhere” — on a small island in the Philippines. As a child, she nearly lost her life to dengue, an experience that ignited her lifelong fascination with science. Pauline searches for her place — both in the Philippines and in a field still largely dominated by men. At the same time, she is finding her voice: reconnecting with her roots, engaging in grassroots science initiatives, and working alongside the emerging Philippine space agency, PhilSA.
She dreams of a future where research in microgravity might help heal others — like it could have helped those she loves. In doing so, she is slowly becoming what she once needed herself: a role model.

ILYASSE

PAULINE

ELISA GOMEZ ALVAREZ

(b. 1989, Berlin) is an interdisciplinary director. Multilingual and versatile, her practice spans documentary, theatre, opera, and socio-cultural projects, driven by a strong interest in hybrid forms (archives, animation, photography).
She graduated in 2017 from the University of the Arts Berlin in Ai Weiwei’s class, and completed a Master’s in film directing at ECAL/HEAD (École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne) in 2020. As a video artist, she has collaborated with major European theatres and opera houses, including Ballhaus Naunynstraße (Berlin), Staatstheater Stuttgart, Theater Bremen, Schauspiel Frankfurt, Comédie de Genève and Staatsoper Hannover.
Her films have been selected at international festivals such as Visions du Réel, Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, Les États généraux du film documentaire, Zurich Film Festival, and the Geneva International Film Festival, and have been broadcast on platforms including Tënk and PlaySuisse. Since 2025, she has been working with the independent distribution company Ciné-Doc.

Visions du Reel

Switzerland
WORLD PREMIERE
Nyon

Impact

To the Moon and Back is not just a film.

It is a launchpad for our impact campaign to create accessible quality STEM training and educational opportunities for youth in the Global South.

We are currently raising funds for the following:

Local screenings by grassroots science caravans in the Philippines and Morocco
Educational platform and scholarship for participation of underprivileged students
First Philippine student-led analog space mission

Do you want to be an ally of To The Moon And Back, support the film & movement for human rights?