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<\/source><\/picture>\u201cA Million Miles Away,\u201d <\/a>which tells the remarkable story of how a migrant worker made his way to space as a NASA astronaut, is the kind of family-friendly film needed at a time when the values of family, perseverance and hard work seem all but antiquated.\u00a0<\/p>\n Released earlier this month, \u201cA Million Miles Away\u201d tells the true story of Jos\u00e9 Moreno Hern\u00e1ndez, a Mexican-American engineer and former NASA astronaut, based on his book Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut.<\/em> Directed by Alejandra Marquez, the film stars Michael Pe\u00f1a, Rosa Salazar, Bobby Soto and Julio C\u00e9sar Cedillo.<\/p>\n The film opens with Jos\u00e9’s formative years as a Mexican migrant laborer, picking corn alongside his parents and three siblings in 1970s America. Despite his circumstances, Jos\u00e9 is gifted, and seeing his potential, his second-grade teacher, Miss Young, urges his parents to stay in California and focus on his education instead of following the harvest back and forth from Mexico.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNothing will stop you, remember that,\u201d she tells a young Jos\u00e9.<\/p>\n At 10 years old, Jos\u00e9 realizes he wants to become an astronaut after watching Gene Cernan walk on the surface of the moon, and he works tirelessly to realize that dream.<\/p>\n He graduates college, earning bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in engineering. He lands a prestigious job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, but still, his dream of becoming an astronaut eludes him. He\u2019s rejected from NASA 11 times, and each time, he keeps the rejection letter in a folder.\u00a0<\/p>\n But everyone around him continues to make sacrifices to help Jos\u00e9 make it to NASA: His parents lose their home after opting to stay in one location to help further his education and his wife, Adela, forgoes opening a restaurant to support her husband, all while caring for their five young children.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do they have that you don\u2019t?\u201d she asks her husband of the others accepted into the program, pushing him to continue applying to NASA.<\/p>\n In 2004, on his 12th try, Jos\u00e9 was finally selected as an astronaut candidate.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOver the course of the last 10 years, every academic, professional and personal decision I\u2019ve made [has been] with the space program in mind,\u201d he tells the NASA instructor in one profound scene. \u201cI\u2019ve gotten my master\u2019s in electrical engineering. I\u2019m a pilot now with over 800 miles under my belt. I have my scuba-diving certificate. I just ran the San Francisco Marathon, and I can speak Russian.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been on the verge of giving up after each and every rejection. But you know what, sir? Here I am. So you can turn me down again if you want, but rest assured, I\u2019ll be standing here again in a year.\u201d In 2009, his dream was realized when he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist, marking his incredible journey from the fields to the stars. His parents, wife and Miss Young watch as he blasts off into space.<\/p>\n “A Million Miles Away” is an uplifting film, but\u00a0Marquez doesn’t shy away from depicting the gritty reality of a migrant worker’s life. The long hours, the relentless sun and the sting of societal prejudice (on his first day at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, he\u2019s mistaken for a janitor) are all depicted in the film. But the hardships Jos\u00e9 faced \u2014 or even his successes \u2014 aren\u2019t the focus of the film.<\/p>\n Rather, the focus is primarily on those around Jos\u00e9 who helped him realize his dream and challenged him to keep going despite setbacks. It\u2019s a story of faith, sacrifice, family values and the indomitable spirit of perseverance. \u201cTenacity is a superpower,\u201d he’s told.\u00a0<\/p>\n Though not a faith-based film, Jos\u00e9 is a devout Catholic who has said he felt God calling<\/a> him to space. And faith is subtly depicted in the film as a consistent, gentle presence; it is, for example, what gives Jos\u00e9 strength to handle the many rejection letters from NASA.<\/p>\n Rated PG, the film is also devoid of any sexual content, foul language (despite a few mild profanities) or violence, making it safe for families.<\/p>\n “A Million Miles Away” is more than just a recounting of a remarkable life. It\u2019s a reminder that dreams take sacrifice, hard work and perseverance and, without being overly sentimental, that faith and family are the most important things in life. Overall, the film is a clean, uplifting cinematic experience that gives conscientious viewers a tale and characters they can wholeheartedly champion. \u201cA Million Miles Away,\u201d now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is rated PG for \u201cthematic elements and language.\u201d<\/p>\n Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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