In space, two prisoners from opposing nations share a cell. Back on Earth, their homelands declare war, forcing the cellmates to weigh their loyalty between flag and friend.

Director’s Vision for ‘Noah’s Belt’

The idea for Noah’s Belt initially came early in the pandemic, watching SpaceX launch the Crew Dragon to rendezvous with the I.S.S. where American astronauts would be greeted by Russian cosmonauts. I found it fascinating and hope-inspiring that two countries who’ve had such historical animosity, on the brink of war for decades, could still work together, maybe because they’re 250 miles from the Earth’s surface. There’s a real phenomenon that both professional and non-professional space-goers experience when viewing the Earth from above, which is how absurd our issues and differences look from such a distant vantage point. It’s truly the “look at the big picture” feeling. Additional inspiration came with the 2020 presidential election, wherein the U.S. felt divided into two countries, with an ever-present threat of “civil war” in the air. I considered what it would feel like to kill or be killed by a fellow American, simply due to differing loyalty to party or ideology. I do believe simple shared humanity will always prevail over any construct, if given the chance.