To the Moon and Back follows two Gen Z scientists chasing the same dream of becoming an astronaut in a profoundly unequal world. At Asclepios, a Swiss-based, student-led analog space mission under the mentorship of astronaut Claude Nicollier, Pauline from the Philippines and Ilyasse from Morocco train side by side. The film exposes how the new space race reproduces old hierarchies of gender, geography, and access to STEM education. Between rejection, resilience, and return, the documentary asks a brutal question: Who gets to leave Earth to imagine humanity’s future—and who is forced to stay and fix what’s been broken?

If space exploration is shaping our shared future: who is included? Emerging island and desert nations most affected by climate change remain on the periphery, lacking a seat at the table to leverage space assets for resilience. Today, access to space reflects the same inequalities found on Earth—across education, mobility, funding, and recognition. To the Moon and Back subtly reveals how these imbalances reach far beyond our planet. Working closely with protagonist and youth activist Florence Pauline Basubas, we seek to inspire youth from the Global South to pursue scientific paths and to underline the urgent need for stronger institutional support.