Pete's Comet: Meditation on Life, Death, and Galactic Space

Centered around the death of the film maker’s father, “Pete’s Comet” draws parallels to human life and the greater cosmos. The film points our focus towards the stars to search for meaning in the present, while reflecting on how the personal and universal intertwine. The film combines imagery from the NASA archives, vintage super 8mm home movies, and 4K video. The film begins with a prelude, written in diaristic form, that sets a narrative framework - a short anecdote describing a once in a lifetime comet sighting, her Dad’s death, and his final words to her brother: “Did you get a good photograph of the comet last night”. Photo media (both moving and still) serve as a supporting character to explore its role in our longing to better understand the world beyond us.