Introduction

I.S.S. is a 2023 American science fiction thriller film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Nick Shafir. The film stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin, and Pilou Asbæk.

I.S.S. was theatrically released in the United States on 19 January 2024, and received generally positive reviews, with praise for its performances, atmosphere, and setting.

Outline

NASA astronaut Kira Foster arrives at the International Space Station (ISS), where she greets her teammates: fellow American astronauts Christian Campbell and Gordon Barrett, and Russian cosmonauts Weronika Vetrov and brothers Nicholai and Alexey Pulov. Despite the language barrier and cultural differences, the Americans and Russians get along well, with Gordon and Weronika forming a romance. Kira views Earth from the space station for the first time with her co-workers, who explain the overview effect to her.

Later, while working, she notices several massive nuclear explosions wreaking havoc across the United States. Communications aboard the station fail, but Christian receives an order from the US government, indicating that the Russian military has initiated a nuclear attack on the US, to take control of the ISS “by any means necessary.” He discusses the message with Kira and Gordon; they realise the Russians were likely given a similar order from their government. They also find the station is orbiting too low and in danger of freefalling towards Earth’s surface if aid does not arrive within 24 hours.

After the Americans get their mission, Gordon dons an EVA space suit to fix an antenna on the outside of the station, where he sees the US destroyed and in flames. During the operation, Alexey clips a wire, cutting off communication between Gordon and his fellow Americans inside the station, and replaces it with a fake wire to hide his sabotage. Nicholai pilots the station’s arm to knock Gordon off, seemingly to his death.

Enraged and disgusted with her teammates for murdering an innocent man, Weronika asks to trade a key to unlock her research with Kira’s key, allowing them to view each other’s work. Weronika explains that Alexey’s research could cure radiation sickness, and if either government seizes the space station, that world power will control who lives and who dies in the nuclear war. Weronika insists that Kira steal the research, board a Soyuz spacecraft, and return to Earth, leaving them to wait for potential aid. Weronika threatens to blow up the station as a distraction, but Christian cracks her skull, killing her. Nicholai asks Alexey to help him kill the Americans, but the latter refuses. While Kira and Christian hide in a storage room, Alexey realises Gordon is still alive and hanging on to the side of the ISS. He uses the arm to bring him back into the station, then helps Kira escape his brother.

Gordon arrives and Nicholai attacks him with a drill, and the two men stab each other to death simultaneously. Christian quietly sabotages the station’s life support system and reveals that he knew of Kira’s plan to take Alexey’s research and abandon them. He tries to kill Kira and Alexey, but they attack him in self-defence and strangle him to death with the tassel of a pen, with Alexey suffering a stab wound during the fight. They restore life support and the communication system spontaneously reactivates, informing Kira and Alexey that help is coming, but they do not know whether it is from the US or Russia. Deciding to refuse to comply with their governments’ orders, they board a Soyuz spacecraft with Alexey’s research and plummet to Earth in an uncontrolled freefall.

Cast

• Ariana DeBose as Dr. Kira Foster
• Chris Messina as Gordon Barrett
• John Gallagher Jr. as Christian Campbell
• Masha Mashkova as Weronika Vetrov
• Costa Ronin as Nicholai Pulov
• Pilou Asbæk as Alexey Pulov

Production

In December 2020, Nick Shafir’s screenplay I.S.S. was included on that year’s “Black List” of most-liked unproduced screenplays. In January 2021, it was announced that the film had been greenlit for production by LD Entertainment with Cowperthwaite directing. Chris Messina and Pilou Asbæk were reported to star in the film. In February, it was reported that Ariana DeBose had also joined the cast.

I.S.S. began filming at Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina, in February 2021.

Release

In August 2023, Bleecker Street acquired the United States distribution rights. The film was theatrically released on 19 January 2024.

Box Office

The film made $1.2 million from 2,520 theatres on its first day. It went on to debut to $3 million, finishing seventh at the box office.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Gabriela Cowperthwaite
• Producer(s):
  • Michael Glassman … executive producer
  • Mehrdod Heydari … executive producer
  • Mickey Liddell … producer
  • Alison Semenza King … executive producer (as Alison Semenza)
  • Pete Shilaimon … producer
  • Jacob Yakob … executive producer
  • Joseph Yakob … executive producer
• Writer(s):
  • Nick Shafir
• Music:
  • Anne Nikitin
• Cinematography:
  • Nick Remy Matthews
• Editor(s):
  • Richard Mettler
  • Colin Patton
• Production:
  • LD Entertainment
• Distributor(s):
  • Bleecker Street Media (US, theatrical)
• Release Date: 12 June 2023 (Tribeca Film Festival, US), 02 September 2023 (Deauville American Film Festival, France), and 11 November 2023 (Denver Film Festival, US).
• Running time: 95 minutes.
• Rating: R.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Clip(s)