ELEMENTAL FILMS
Coming Soon
Ex Luna
A Feature Documentary
The Film
When Apollo 13 exploded on its way to the moon, a brilliant Mexican-American engineer named Arturo Campos devised a hack to restore power—saving three astronauts from freezing to death in space. Campos also built the electrical systems for Apollo and the shuttle, but he was shut out of the limelight and died in obscurity.
Fifty years later, NASA is returning humans to the moon and Campos has become a celebrated hero and guiding light for the missions. As the next crewed lunar mission counts down, Dustin Gohmert, the engineer keeping today’s astronauts alive, works to preserve the hard-won lessons of NASA's past while navigating the complex technical challenges of deep space.
As humanity ventures once more into the void, EX LUNA illuminates two generations of NASA engineers whose brains and abilities built America's greatest achievement and now power the next generation of explorers.
"We were the go-to guys to solve the problems. But the flight controllers got all the glory."
— Gary Johnson, Apollo 13 engineer
A new documentary revealing the hidden heroes of space
“For 50 years I’ve been telling people, ‘You need to recognize what Arturo did.’ Finally, he’s being given the recognition he deserves.”
— Jerry Woodfill, Apollo 13 warning systems engineer
The Message
As NASA prepares to breach the lunar frontier, a new generation of engineers carries forward the precision, safety-first culture that has safeguarded astronauts for decades. The feature documentary EX LUNA illuminates this moment of transformation through the parallel journeys of Arturo Campos—whose brilliance was nearly lost to history—and today's engineers working to preserve vital knowledge that spans generations. Their story reveals how dreamers, doers, and designers have always been essential to America's leadership in space, and why documenting these unsung heroes becomes more urgent with each passing year.​
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Yet this story transcends technical achievements to become something more profound: a meditation on how societies choose to remember their guardians, and the vital importance of honoring the quiet heroes who light our way through the darkness.
The Team
Director
Heath Cozens
Director Heath Cozens is an award-winning feature director drawn to unsung heroes living life on their own terms. His films include "Doglegs" (Hot Docs 2015) and Japan Prize winner "Only I Can Hear." The Austin Chronicle called his work "fearless and touching." Heath’s work has been featured in major media outlets such as The BBC, VICE, The Guardian, The Economist, The Hollywood Reporter, WSJ, and The Washington Post.
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Director
Michael Werner
Director Michael Werner is a Mexican-American filmmaker, seven-time Emmy winner, and AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award recipient whose work spans science, history, and culture. His work has appeared on HBO, PBS, Netflix, and other major networks. Michael felt a deep personal connection to Arturo Campos's story—a fearless Mexican-American pioneer who led by example, echoing his own path of breaking barriers through relentless dedication.​
Your contribution helps make sure this story reaches students, dreamers, and future explorers.
Host a Screening
Bring Ex Luna to your community. By hosting a screening, you help spark vital conversations about exploration, science, and the engineers shaping humanity’s next giant leap.
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Whether you represent a university, museum, aerospace organization, or community group, we’d love to collaborate in creating an event that inspires curiosity and dialogue.
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For now, our Host a Screening form serves as a brief application. If you’re interested in bringing Ex Luna to your institution or organization, we’d love to start the conversation.
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Directors Michael Werner and Heath Cozens are available for select in-person or virtual Q&A sessions and presentations, schedule permitting. Their engaging discussions offer audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at NASA’s return to deep space, and the unsung heroes making it possible.
The first step to hosting a screening is to get in touch.