Directed by Kate Black-Spence
Jamie is a young woman living in rural Indiana struggling to figure out her place and identity. When she inadvertently stumbles across a frequency on her ham radio and makes contact with astronaut Noa currently orbiting Earth, the two women are presented with the opportunity to find meaningful connection, even while worlds apart.
Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
Project Links
Director Biography – John Klein, Kate Black-Spence
KATE BLACK-SPENCE has primarily identified as an actor since graduating from Ball State University in 2008 and moving to Chicago. Consistently working in TV, film, and theatre, Kate gravitated toward world premiere plays where she worked closely with playwrights to find nuance in characters and often collaborated to clarify central storylines and alternate endings. In early 2019, she was approached by another actor who suggested they use their collaborative theatre skills to write their own play. The result, “Ghosts of Whitechapel,” gave voice to five women ignored by history and was produced in January of 2020 in a sold out, limited run. Since then, Kate has embraced this new calling and has written several short stage and film pieces as well as other full length plays. “Static Space” is a short film she adapted from the full length play by the same name which she wrote in the Spring of 2020 during the pandemic. Each version she has written has been based on the novel, “Can You Hear Me” by Geonn Cannon. She owes many people thanks for supporting her every time she explores a new artistic outlet, but she thanks John Klein especially for encouraging and empowering her to adapt this story, to play Jamie, and to co-direct and co-produce for the first time.
JOHN KLEIN is a happily married father of three, cinematographer, director, producer, camera operator, lover of dogs, Instagram addict, and all-around joyful dude. He currently teaches film production at Elmhurst University. He is also the producer of Glass City Films, a production company through which he has directed multiple award-winning short and feature-length films, including the Kickstarter-funded post-apocalyptic thriller Chrysalis. Having worked with Kate Black-Spence as an actress on several films, including NightLights and Cry It Out, he was thrilled to tackle Static Space with her as a full-on creative partner, and loved seeing it come to life.
Director Statement
Static Space explores themes of connection, and the power of being heard. We live in an isolating time, and that has been true well before the pandemic ever made it literal; for decades, we have mastered separating ourselves from our neighbors – with screens, politics, and flags. Yet, while filmed during the dystopian-esque time of 2020, this movie does not make mention of a worldwide pandemic, nor the modern sociopolitical issues and divisions that permeate the fabric of our world.
Still, Jamie and Noa’s feelings of isolation and their yearning for humanity amidst chaos speaks to our specific moment in history. Any viewer can feel a kinship with both of them, as we see flickers of what we’ve all been through during the COVID era. We yearn for them – for us – to find that trust and joy and intimacy that comes from sharing your innermost thoughts and dreams. That kind of connection with even a stranger can give us clarity into ourselves; listening and validating people’s experiences can be a precious gift, and sometimes the deep connections we establish by simply holding space for each other can change our lives.
While this universal theme of connection is prevalent, the fact that Noa and Jamie’s friendship blossoms into a romance also specifically centers queer love. Too often queer love stories foreground trauma, or focus on adversity, but normalizing same-sex attraction begins with gentle stories where no explanations or apologies are needed. It is neither the purpose of the film, nor an accident. It is representation. In this film we see the fragility and miracle that is any connection of two souls.
And in that, we see a relationship we all can root for.
FEEDBACK Female Film Festival 
