A Million Miles Away is a biographical drama film inspired by the real-life story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández. The film follows Hernández’s journey from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico, to more than 200 miles above the Earth in the International Space Station. The film stars Michael Peña as Hernández, along with Melissa Barrera, Adrianna Barraza, and Tony Shalhoub.
Synopsis
Inspired by the real-life story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández, A Million Miles Away follows him on a decades-long journey, from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico, to more than 200 miles above the Earth in the International Space Station. With the support of his family, José’s drive & determination culminates in the opportunity to achieve his seemingly impossible goal.
Release Date
September 15, 2023
Where to Watch A Million Miles Away
About José M. Hernández
José M. Hernández, a retired NASA astronaut, is an American engineer and businessman. He holds the distinction of being the first astronaut of Mexican-American descent to participate in a NASA mission.
Hernández was born in French Camp, California, to a family of migrant farmworkers. He attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, where he obtained a degree in electrical engineering in 1984. Subsequently, he pursued a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1986.
Following his graduation, Hernández worked as an engineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. During his time there, he played a key role in developing highly accurate and sensitive equipment for full-field digital mammography, surpassing traditional mammography techniques.
In the year 2000, Hernández was chosen by NASA to join its astronaut program. After completing two years of rigorous training, he was assigned to the crew of the Space Shuttle mission STS-128. This mission, launched on August 29, 2009, aimed to expand the capabilities of the Chandra X-ray Observatory in space. Throughout the 13-day and 16-hour mission, Hernández undertook three spacewalks.
In 2015, Hernández concluded his career with NASA and subsequently ventured into the fields of business and writing. One notable achievement was the publication of his autobiography, titled “Reaching for the Stars: An Astronaut’s Story,” which was released in 2016.
Hernández serves as an inspiration to numerous young Hispanics and Latinos, as his journey exemplifies that the American dream is attainable by individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Director
Alejandra Márquez Abella
Born in 1982 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, she pursued her passion for filmmaking by studying at the Center d’Estudis Cinematogràfics de Catalunya in Barcelona. Her first feature film, Semana Santa, as well as her second film, The Good Girls, both had their premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival. The latter received recognition worldwide, being screened at numerous festivals and earning nominations for 14 Mexican Academy of Film Awards. With over a decade of experience in television, she has also directed two episodes of the popular series Narcos: Mexico. El norte sobre el vacío marks her third full-length feature film.
The Cast
Michael Peña
Michael Anthony Peña, born on January 13, 1976, is an accomplished American actor in both film and television. He has gained recognition for his notable performances in popular productions such as Crash, Observe and Report, and Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center. Additionally, Peña made an appearance in the music video for Nickelback’s song “Savin’ Me. Notably, he portrays the character Luis in the Ant-Man film series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring in both Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
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