America’s Total Solar Eclipse Changed Lives — These New Films Show How

Did you and your community feel an “eclipse effect” on April 8, 2024? When the moon’s shadow swept across North America that day, it plunged about 50 million people — and thousands of communities — into an awe-inspiring darkness during a rare total solar eclipse. Those with clear skies got to see the silhouette of the moon block the sun’s disk, revealing its ethereal corona — the “hole in the sky” moment.

Now, a trio of films is giving fresh life to that precious moment of totality — capturing not just the celestial spectacle, but the human stories around it.

1. In Totality

Debuting on Friday, July 25, at New York City’s Rooftop Film Festival is In Totality, a short film directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Jesse Rudoy (Dusty & Stones) that follows Debra Ross, chair of Rochester, New York’s 2024 eclipse task force, in the tense final days leading up to the eclipse — after seven years preparing. It begins with Ross promoting the eclipse at a baseball game and on radio and TV stations, via a play and a musical performance. As the day approaches, the weather forecast begins to look rosy — and then it suddenly worsens.

“As a filmmaker, I wanted her and Rochester to get their perfect, sunny eclipse. But the version they got gave us something deeper,” said Rudoy, in an interview. “When things start to go a little wrong, or there’s tension in the air, you realize your film is becoming more interesting, more layered and frankly, better.”

By the time of totality at 3:20 p.m., dense clouds obscured the view, with an eerie darkness and a golden horizon. “She had told the people of Rochester that if it was cloudy, they should just hold hands with someone they love and embrace the moment,” said Rudoy. “And in the end, that’s exactly what she did.”

If you were excited for the eclipse and then clouded-out, like Rochester was, expect In Totality to pack an emotional punch.

2. A Moment In The Sun

Also now previewing at film festivals across the country is A Moment In The Sun from filmmakers Mia Weinberger and Thomas van Kalkenthe —the story of the last town in the U.S to experience totality. Houlton, Maine — population 6,000 — close to the Canada border, was predicted to be one of the cloudiest places along the entire path of totality. As it happened, it was a rare clear spot, resulting in thousands of visitors that nobody had expected.

Like In Totality, the 77-minute A Moment In The Sun focuses not on the eclipse, but on the people the directors encountered as they tried to capture the lead-up to the eclipse. “The four characters we ended up following included a local astronomer who shared his first eclipse with his late husband in 1997, a civic planner who had been preparing for this day for almost 3 years, a freshly minted entrepreneur with 800 eclipse t-shirts to sell and a couple who said ‘I do’ right at the moment of totality,” said Weinberger to FilmInk.

A Moment In The Sun will screen at 5:45 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 25, at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, Portland, Maine, as part of the Maine Outdoor Film Festival. It will also screen in Houlton’s Temple Theatre from Friday, Sept. 5-11. ​

Both films come in the wake of NASA’s Emmy Award for Outstanding Live News Special for its three hours of live coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse, announced at the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City on June 25. It got 40 million views.

3. Totality

Seeking to unearth stories from individuals and communities from Mazatlan, Mexico, to Bonavista, Newfoundland, on April 8, 2024, is Totality, a 90-minute documentary from Sandbox Films. It tracks a range of communities over the year leading up to the eclipse, as people across three North American countries prepare for the event. Co-directed by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, the production included 21 film teams across the path. It’s due to have a theatrical and festival release early in 2026.

“With no tickets required, no political agenda nor winners and losers, Totality captures a rare moment of unity as some 50 million gather for a lightshow performed by the sun and moon,” said Davis, in an email, “reminding us that we all stand on the same tiny dot in a vast universe.”

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.