Please select the "PARTICIPANTS" tab at the top of this page for a list of distinguished individuals who are a part of the production team, providing either important background research or on-camera interviews.
To see a preview of the film, go to the "TRAILER" tab at the top of this page.
To find out where you can see the film, visit the "SCREENINGS" tab for more information.
"There isn't an artist who's painting today, in the science fiction fantasy field, who didn't start with Chesley Bonestell."
- Ray Bradbury
"We were honored to have a very special screening of “Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future” as part of our Apollopalooza celebration of the Apollo Lunar Missions. The film was a hit with our audience (and our staff!) There was even a couple from Arizona who drove over 600 miles to see the film. Museum curators and programmers should take note!"
- Matthew Burchette
Curator, Wings Over the Rockies Museum
Griffith Observatory
November 25, 2019
Los Angeles, CA
Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future is a feature-length documentary on the life, works, and influence of Chesley Bonestell, "The Father of Space Art" (1888-1986).
Staerkel Planetarium
Oct. 9, 2019
Champaign, IL
Orange Coast College Planetarium
Oct. 5, 11-12, 18-19
Costa Mesa, CA
"Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future" is available to purchase for K-12, Universities, and Public Libraries
EVENT TESTIMONIALS
Newport Beach Film Festival
At Sea
Dec 2-14, 2019
South Pacific Ocean
What do the Chrysler Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the film "Destination Moon" and America's space program all have in common? They were each touched by the creative vision of a forgotten artist named Chesley Bonestell (1888-1986). It can be said that Chesley helped get us to the moon not with technology, but with a paintbrush. His mesmerizing depiction of "Saturn As Seen From Titan" became known as "the painting that launched a thousand careers." Told by the people who were influenced by or knew Chesley personally, and punctuated with rare interview footage of Chesley himself, this documentary chronicles the extraordinary, nine-decade life of a quiet, artistic visionary, whose beautiful paintings continue to inspire us to reach for the stars.
How did he know?
Who was this man?
Long before satellites would journey to planets and deep-space telescopes photographed distant galaxies, there was an artist whose dazzling visions of planets and stars would capture the imagination of all who beheld them. With his paintings, he helped inspire America's space program, NASA, and the Apollo 11 moon landing. Before that, he was an architect working on projects like the Chrysler Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. He would later become a matte painter in Hollywood working on films like “Citizen Kane” and “Destination Moon”. Who was this remarkable man?
His name was Chesley Bonestell.
"Chesley Bonestell" in the News
The world of science fiction has been blessed with the contributions of many great artists as well as writers...and one of the greatest was Chesley Bonestell, the great astronomical artist, whose visions...reached the covers of many science fiction and science magazines in the 50s, 60s and 70s...I’m proud to present a documentary about the life and work of Chesley Bonestell.
- George R. R. Martin
Author, Game of Thrones
Producer/Writer/Director Douglass M. Stewart Jr. with King 5 anchor Amity Adrissi.
Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Newport Beach, California on May 1st, 2018. It was honored with the Audience Award for the category of Art, Architecture and Design! A few months later, it was named Best Documentary at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. It also won Best Documentary at the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival on February 16th, 2019.
Judging by the applause and number of folks who came up to me afterward to tell me how much they enjoyed the film, I can certify that we had a success.
- Darrell Heath
Outreach Coordinator, Central Arkansas Astronomical Society
Long before satellites would journey to planets and deep-space telescopes would photograph distant galaxies, there was an artist whose prescient vistas dazzled the eyes and the imagination of all who beheld them. His name was Chesley Bonestell. How could Chesley Bonestell see so far in the future?
InScience International Science
Film Festival
November 6-10, 2019
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Host a Screening
"This film has been shown at two International Space Development Conferences - the first in Los Angeles in 2018 and then in Washington D.C. in 2019. It's never failed to wow and amaze.
- Aggie Kobrin
Founder & Director, CEC Global Events
North Park Theatre
Sept. 14-15, 2019
Buffalo, NY
On Sunday, August 25, Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future was featured on King 5 News in anticipation of its screening at the Museum of Flight that afternoon. Producer/Writer/Director Douglass M. Stewart Jr. discussed the importance of Chesley Bonestell with News Anchor Amity Adrissi. A space enthusiast herself, Adrissi found the subject of Chesley Bonestell fascinating.
"Looking at those photos, what a visionary!" she said. "I mean, it really inspired just so much of our culture. Even down to design of furniture and such...he's almost like a Jules Verne of his own."
View Current Screenings
Watch the Trailer
About the Film
MRIGlobal Theatre
October 29, 2019
Kansas City, MO