If you’re into Astronomy, or really, science of any kind, you probably know American Astrophysicist Carl Sagan. During the course of his life, Sagan made prominent contributions to scientific research on extraterrestrial beings, published numerous popular science books, and narrated the most widely-watched series in the history of American public television, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

Now, Croatian film director Ratimir Rakuljic has made Star Stuff; a short film inspired by the life and work of Sagan. It features a curious boy who gazes out the window of his Brooklyn apartment and wonders, what are the stars, what keeps them from falling on our heads? From there, he is led on a marvelous voyage of discovery.

Having been inspired by Sagan for many years, Rakuljic considers this film very much a passion project. The story is based on a selection of anecdotes from Sagan’s life, found throughout his works, and The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive was an invaluable resource.

Take a look at the film here, and be transported into the glorious wonders of the universe:

The film features emotionally rich performances, especially from Luke Satara who plays Young Carl. He captures Sagan’s unique curiosity — I believe that this person grew up to be such an iconic figure.

If this sparks your interest, here’s a short behind-the-scenes video:

Read more about Star Stuff and Rakuljic’s work here. And please let us know what you think of the film in the comments below!

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HT: Ratimir

IMAGES: Vimeo: Ratimir Rakuljic