‘We came for all mankind’

The race for the moon continues to fascinate, also in the new documentary about the Apollo 11 mission. Several astronauts came to Zurich for the European premiere.

After the moderate success of the Hollywood biopic “First Man”, dedicated to Neil Armstrong, “Apollo 11”, the new film by Todd Douglas Miller, is a pleasant surprise. With no special effects and (almost) no pompous music, it stands out thanks to its superbly restored archive footage, the strength of which had perhaps been forgotten.

This fresh look at the “most dangerous mission in history” won a Stephen Hawking medal at its premiere at the Starmus Festival in Zurich. Both the director as well as some astronauts were on hand, including Alfred Worden and Charlie Duke (Apollo 15 and 16, respectively).

With a mix of music and awards, the Starmus FestivalExternal link pays homage to the people who made the first moon landing possible 50 years ago. The annual festival takes place every summer. This was its first time in Switzerland.