An astronaut in training, Sarah, has been chosen to go on a space mission to Mars. Going into space is Sarah’s life long dream, but going into space means she has to be away from her daughter, Stella, for a while.
Blaine: There have been a lot of movies about astronauts going into space and Alice Winocour was interested in making her own astronaut movie after this idea came to her about a mother leaving her daughter behind to go to space. Alice liked the idea a lot the more she thought about it. Alice knows what motherhood is like because she is a mother herself, but there is a lot about astronauts and space travel that she didn’t know. Alice did a tremendous amount of research for this project. She learned a lot of things that helped her with her screenplay, but she didn’t stop there. Alice continued to learn more details about astronauts to inspire her vision. The European Space Agency was very welcoming to Alice and she met trainers and astronauts who explained so much to her. They even told her about their families, and what it’s like being apart from them.
Eva Green was the only actress Alice had in mind for the lead character, Sarah. Eva really wanted to be apart of the project after she read the script. Eva got emotional just from reading it because it was beautifully written. Eva worked very closely with Alice. They did research together about astronauts, and Alice took Eva to the space agency.
Eva Green doesn’t know what motherhood is like because she’s not a mother. She spent a lot of time with Zelie Boulant-Lemesle, the young actress who plays her daughter, Stella. It was the first time Zelie was going to be acting in a movie and she was nervous about it, but after her experience on “Proxima” it made her want to do more movies. Both Eva and Zelie did a good job at connecting in front of the camera and showing these characters have a powerful bond.
Eva Green loved working with Alice because she is very passionate and works hard. “Proxima” was a project Alice devoted herself to for a long time. She even put her heart into the project. Eva probably hasn’t been apart of a project as strong as this before because it required so much.
Sarah mentions to the press that her mom didn’t believe being an astronaut was meant for women, but she was wrong. Sarah’s dream of being an astronaut has always been strong and now it’s coming true. Women before Sarah have gone into space and that shows women are capable of going into space just as much as men.
Being an astronaut is very serious for Sarah. She also takes motherhood seriously. Don’t know if being a mother was a goal in life for Sarah, but the way I see it she took the job seriously when she brought Stella into the world.
Stella is honest about how she feels about her mother leaving when she is asked the question on what she thinks of the mission. Stella loves her mother so much and she’s never been apart from her before. Sarah has always been around, and Stella really enjoys her company. Kids usually look up to their parents and Stella should know her mother is very lucky. An opportunity of going into space doesn’t come around often. Even though this mission might upset Stella, Sarah is positive she wants to do it.
Sarah knows what she is doing and she won’t let anything get in the way of her dream. She does love her daughter very much. Stella and going into space are the most important things in Sarah’s life, and she makes sure she can fit the both of them in her schedule. Sarah contacts Stella almost everyday, and Stella gets to visit her. Sarah is making the best of things during her time on Earth.
Stella stays with her father, Thomas, while Sarah is in training, and he’ll keep her company while Sarah is in space. Sarah and Thomas have split up, but they are still good friends.
Stella feels like she is missing apart of herself while her mom’s not around. It’s hard to adapt to something new after spending so much time with a loved one. It’s rough at first, but Stella gets use to things without having Sarah around. She still misses her though. Sarah contacts Stella everyday, so she can hear her voice. She also writes to her a lot, and whenever Stella is having problems her mother is there to talk to her. Stella is connecting with Thomas the more they are together. Sarah was always looking after Stella. She never got to spend enough time with Thomas.
Sarah is not just Stella's mother, but her best friend too. They would spend so much time together that it’s like Sarah is the only person who matters in Stella’s life. But now Stella is learning to connect with other people. She is bonding with her father and making friends with kids her age.
Sarah was already in training before she got the good news, and now she has to train even harder. There is so much you have to do in order to become an astronaut and everyday is a workout. Eva Green herself was learning these exercises, and doing them before and during the shooting of “Proxima”. Eva almost believed this job was going to get her killed because of all the physical stuff she had to do. It was so much work, and Eva was always exhausted. The trainers she worked with were really hard on her. Eva was doing two things for this role, being physical and putting on a performance.
A lot of things you dream of have more to them than what you expect. Sarah was calm about things at first, but there’s times these exercises are too much for her because she has to train every day. Sarah is busting her butt, and trying to keep up the paste. At one point it looks like Sarah is unsure if she is capable of going through with this, but she knows she can’t give up. If you want something really bad you have to push yourself in order to get it.
Lots of astronauts have gone through these tough exercises, and it wasn’t pleasant for them. Nothing stopped Neil Armstrong from fulfilling what he wanted to accomplish. He wouldn't let death get in the way either. Sarah has to prove that she has what it takes to go into space and she is never going to stop. She will stay strong.
Through the letters she writes to her daughter, Sarah explains all the details of what she is experiencing and how she sees things while she is still on Earth. It’s like Sarah is writing a memoir.
There is no music to be heard in the background, almost like there is nothing to hear while you’re in space, other than your breathing. When you do hear the music it sounds soothing, soulful and beautiful. It suits the movie very nicely.
The camera was put in interesting places and positions for “Proxima”. The camera is observing the details of what you have to do in order to become an astronaut. Alice and her team were lucky enough to shoot in a real base where astronauts train. It wasn’t easy though. Alice had to get a lot of authorizations.
Another thing Eva Green had to do was learn how to speak Russian because some of the trainers her character has to work with are Russian. Sarah’s French, and the two astronauts she is going to Mars with are a Russian and an American. Another thing is Sarah’s ex, Thomas, is German. So Sarah is taking turns on what languages, French, English, Russian, to speak depending on who she is around. Thomas speaks French, and while he’s looking after Stella he teaches her a little German.
The big day is coming up and Sarah hasn’t seen Stella in a while and won’t be seeing her for a while longer. This mission was Sarah’s dream, but now that it’s actually going to happen it’s a lot to take in. She is realizing she is not going to be seeing Stella or hear the sound of her voice for a while. Sarah and the other astronauts have to go into quarantine for safe purposes before they are launched into space and they can’t be around anyone else. They get to say goodbye to their families before that happens. Stella isn’t there because she couldn’t get transportation. Stella does show up before Sarah has to leave, but they can’t have any physical contact. They communicate with a glass wall in between them. Sarah is happy to be seeing Stella, but it’s not enough. There is nothing more to ask for when you’re about to go into space, except to hold your daughter in your arms one last time. Stella is Sarah’s whole world and she is leaving that world behind to go to Mars.
Sarah is supposed to stay in quarantine, but rules can be broken if it is for something that is very important to you. One of the astronauts Alice Winocour met told her that he snuck out to take his son trick or treating when he was supposed to be in quarantine. Alice wrote a scene in “Proxima” that resembled that story. Sarah sneaks out so she and Stella can have one last moment together as mother and daughter before it’s time to leave. Sarah made a promise to Stella that she would show her the rocket and she is making sure she keeps that promise. Seeing the rocket up close is really something for Stella. And seeing it take off is something else when the time comes. Sarah can now leave a happy woman.
“Proxima” ends with what it’s been leading to, the launch. The families of the astronauts are proud of them for what they are about to achieve, but it’s also sad to see them leave. Hopefully they’ll see each other again in the future. Alice Winocour said there is a happy ending to this even though it’s saying goodbye. Look at Sarah, she has achieved her goal in life, and no matter where she is, Sarah will make sure she will never forget Stella. She has a picture of Stella to remind her.
As I said before kids should be looking up to their parents and from the looks of it, Stella is looking at Sarah as an inspiration. Sarah has opened Stella’s mind and has shown her what makes being an astronaut so great by explaining it through the letters and seeing that rocket. Stella also knows how much her mother’s love means to her. There’s no one better in Stella’s life than her own mother, and though she isn’t there with her physically she is with her in spirit.
