STARRY NIGHT is a dramatic film written and directed by Paxton Farrar. It is the story of Dawn, a teenage girl who dreams of going to college and becoming an astronomer. While no one believes in her, she struggles against poverty, gender expectations, and her possessive mother to escape her small town.
The feature film is an expansion of an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funded short film. The feature is in the running for the Sloan Foundation’s Feature Film Award and is currently in pre-production.
Both timeless and topical elements interweave within this story. The topic of women in science, or rather the lack thereof, is a current issue both politically and socially. Many can relate to the struggles of trapped by circumstance, but determined to escape, build a better life, and impact the world in a positive way.
“I believe in the message of the film: that passion is often an important gift one can have, and that it is worth following and honoring. I am passionate about making this film because of the effect science, especially astronomy and cosmology, has had on my life. Despite the fact that my career is in the arts, the romantic and philosophical concepts that arise from science has inspired me to take a deeper look at the world around me more than anything else. My hope is that through STARRY NIGHT and the character of Dawn some of that
wonder can be imparted to the audience.”
