Utopia Acquires Rights to RED HEAVEN Documentary

Utopia has acquired the U.S. rights to Red Heaven, a timely feature documentary that follows six young volunteers as they prepare for a yearlong NASA experiment designed to replicate the physical and psychological conditions of a mission to Mars.

After a year of living on "Mars" the lines between reality and simulation blur. Following a crew of 6 led by female physicist Christiane Heinicke, Red Heaven takes viewers inside a year-long NASA psychological experiment. The goal: to unravel the human variables in team dynamics for future missions to Mars. Filmed by the crew members themselves, this immersive feature documentary reveals what remains when people are pushed to their limits to survive on a new planet.

Red Heaven is a Sandbox Films production in association with Seeker and Insignia Films. It was co-directed and produced by Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe with cinematography by David Alvarado, original music by William Ryan Fritch and editing by Katherine Gorringe.

"The idea for Red Heaven came about when the goal of sending humans to Mars was entering public conversation. We started to hear about THE JOURNEY to Mars as a necessary step in creating a 'backup planet' should Earth one day become unlivable. There was a tension in there for us as filmmakers that we couldn't look away from. We live in a world full of innovation and technological progress but also one that faces extreme environmental degradation and social fracturing. Six scientists acting out living on the red planet for a year was fertile ground for uncovering how we think about humanity's future. What would it really be like to experience life on another planet, and could we ever truly call that new place home?" - Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe

Co-founded by Robert Schwartzman, Utopia is a sales and distribution company known for feature films including the breakout TIFF comedy, SHIVA BABY; the Cannes selected MICKEY AND THE BEAR; the forthcoming Cannes 2021 selection VORTEX, Gaspar Noe's sixth feature; Sundance selection, EL PLANETA; and documentaries including Academy Award winner Errol Morris' AMERICAN DHARMA; the Ross Brothers' Sundance charmer, BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS; and the forthcoming doc on the artist Dash Snow, MOMENTS LIKE THIS NEVER LAST from Cheryl Dunn and Vice Studios.

Watch the new trailer here:

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