NASA is gearing up to send astronauts, including a Canadian, to the moon after more than fifty years, sparking excitement for Thunder Bay-born filmmaker Laura-Lynn Petrick. The upcoming Artemis II mission, scheduled for launch next week, will orbit the moon for ten days with four astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hanson. Although the craft will not land, it will engage in surveillance, testing, and experiments in preparation for Artemis III, a mission set to return humans to the lunar surface in the future.
The mission has inspired Canadian singer-songwriter Emm Gryner to create a new song titled “Touch the Sky,” celebrated in a music video directed, shot, and edited by Petrick. Reflecting on the project, Petrick expressed her admiration, comparing it to a “Stanley Kubrick moment” due to her passion for space and science fiction.
The video, shot in Thunder Bay and Sarnia, features local actor Leo James Durocher portraying a younger version of Hansen. Gryner shared that the song’s creation was inspired by her friendship with Catherine Hansen, Jeremy’s wife, who envisioned a song for his upcoming lunar mission. Gryner assembled a talented team to bring the project to life, resulting in a successful collaboration.
The collaboration between Petrick and Gryner, a year in the making, materialized with the music video project. Incorporating footage from NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and Hansen’s training, the video captures the essence of the mission and celebrates Canadian contributions to space exploration. Gryner expressed her satisfaction with the final product, emphasizing that the video pays tribute to Hansen’s work rather than focusing on her appearance.
Proceeds from Gryner’s song, “Touch the Sky,” are dedicated to the Bluewater Health Foundation in Sarnia. Petrick, reflecting on her experience, highlighted the emotional connection she felt while curating the footage for the video, conveying the inspirational nature of the mission and Hansen’s role in it.