“People didn’t like women in space,” says director Cristina Costantini. “And they especially didn’t like single women in space.”
Ride’s five-year marriage to fellow astronaut Steve Hawley is shown in the film not just as a relationship but potentially a strategic move.
As Costantini observes, it may have helped deflect scrutiny of her private life, making her more “acceptable” in the eyes of NASA leadership and the public.
NASA, DEI, and Today’s Cultural Climate
The film’s release comes during a moment of rollback on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within federal agencies. Just a week before Sally premiered at Sundance, NASA employees received emails outlining changes under Donald Trump’s anti-DEI agenda.
“The pride flag flew in space a couple years ago,” Costantini said in an interview with The Guardian. “Now all NASA employees are being asked to take down any representations of pride.”
This political backdrop adds urgency to the film’s message. The silencing that Ride once endured is being echoed in new policies that threaten visibility and inclusion.
A Complicated Hero and a Cinematic Challenge
The documentary’s unique challenge, Costantini explains, was telling both the public and private stories of Ride. NASA’s archives held thousands of reels, but the love story with O’Shaughnessy had only “five really good pictures.” To bridge that gap, the film uses animation, 16mm visuals, and narration to explore the emotional landscape of Ride’s life.
