The late trailblazing astronaut Sally Ride is really having a moment. While it took a minute after the publication of 2014’s definitive biography, “Sally Ride: America’s First Woman in Space,” America’s first woman in space is getting her due in a bigger way. For one, Kristen Stewart is already poised to star as Ride in an upcoming drama, and for two, there’s the new acclaimed Sundance documentary “Sally,” which tells her pioneering story.
This week, ahead of Space Day, which is today, National Geographic Documentary Films released the trailer “Sally,” which honors the aforementioned astronaut. Coming from Emmy-winning director Cristina Costantini (“Science Fair,” “Karol G”), “Sally” also reveals the story of Ride’s private relationship with Tam O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years, with new detail and insight never shared before. Produced by Cristina Costantini, Lauren Cioffi (“Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God,” “Becoming”), Oscar and Emmy winner Dan Cogan (“Icarus,” “Becoming Cousteau”) and Emmy winner Jon Bardin of Story Syndicate (“Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,” “Harry & Meghan”), the film will premiere in June.
“I can’t recall the exact moment that Sally Ride first captured my imagination, but I know that I’ve been obsessed with her story from a very young age,” Costantini said in a statement. “I was drawn to telling the story of a trailblazing woman fighting for respect in a male-dominated world. But above all, I wanted to explore the beautiful, unknown love story between Sally and Tam O’Shaughnessy. Their enduring relationship was kept secret from the public for 27 long years. Our film celebrates the Sally we all knew through her accomplishments and, for the first time, pays homage to the one we never could know.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
Sally Ride became the first American woman to blast off into space, but beneath her unflappable composure, she carried a secret. Revealing the romance and sacrifices of their 27 years together, Sally’s life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, tells the whole story of this complicated and iconic astronaut for the first time. The film features interviews with tennis champion and close friend to Ride, Billie Jean King; Sally’s sister, Bear Ride; and mother, Carol Joyce Ride, along with additional members of NASA’s class of 1978: Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, John Fabian and Steve Hawley.
Costantini was previously at the 2018 Sundance Festival with her debut film “Science Fair” about the competitive world of high school science fairs (co-directed with Darren Foster) and the 2020 Sundance Festival with “Mucho Mucho Amor” (co-directed with Kareem Tabsch). “Science Fair” won the Festival Favorite Award at Sundance and was acquired by National Geographic Documentary Films. “Sally” marks a full circle moment for the director as she considered herself a science nerd as a kid and has idolized Sally Ride her entire life, even painting a mural on the wall of her elementary school in Sally’s honor.
“Sally” premieres on National Geographic on June 16 and streams June 17 on Disney+ and Hulu. Watch the official trailer below.
