52 Films by Women Vol 8. 16. I.S.S. (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite)
Still courtesy of Bleeker Street (US) / Focus Features / Universal Pictures (UK) Set in the maybe-not-so-distant future, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s feature, I.S.S. , is a confined space, zero gravity suspenser about three Americans and three Russians aboard the International Space Station who are given separate sets of orders when the world ignites below them into World War Three. The Americans are ordered to take control of the space station ‘by any means necessary’. The Russians are told not to expect any more Uber Eats. It is just as well that the crew on board did not rely on Dr Kira Foster (Ariana DeBose) and colleague Christian Campbell (John Gallagher, Jr) for news from home. ‘How are relations between our two fine countries?’ Kira might reasonably have been asked. ‘I don’t know. I was too busy getting used to powdered food,’ she may have replied. Nick Shafir’s script doesn’t generate many laughs, but it does neatly play against our expectations. The film doesn’t re...