Directed by Theodore Melfi, Hidden Figures stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. The film follows Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) and two of her colleagues Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) who eventually become known as the “African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race” and is based on a true story. Set in Cold War America, the trio finds themselves in the middle of a male-dominated “Space Race” and must fight for respect. All three women were mathematicians who played significantly important roles in the American space program. The film emphasizes the preposterousness of racial segregation during the 1950/60’s. Although segregated to the West Area Computers division of the Langley Research Center, the women prove themselves through hard work and dedication without whom, the United States might have never had a chance in the Space Race. Astronaut John Glenn became the first American astronaut to make a complete orbit of the Earth, thanks to the calculations made by Johnson, Vaughan, and Jackson. The film has been considered for multiple accolades including multiple Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Satellite Awards. The film has also won a Satellite Award for Best Cast, a Women Film Critics Circle award for Best Movie about Women, Best Female Images in a Movie, Best Ensemble, Josephine Baker Award, and a Karen Morley Award. Congratulations to the cast and crew on a remarkable recounting of a true story. The film is set to be released on December 25, 2016.
