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Following a journey of human perseverance, ingenuity, and imagination, fulldome film Black Hole First Picture encapsulates a historic milestone in science visualization and discovery – witnessing a phenomenon widely believed to be invisible: a black hole. Follow a quest that examines worldwide radio sites that comprise the Event Horizon Telescope (a global network of synchronized radio observatories that work in unison to capture images of black holes), peers into the core of the Messier 87 galaxy, and travels to the heart of the Milky Way to produce the first-ever picture of a black hole.

A human story of two young astronomers is central in this film. We follow the characters in their quest since childhood to see a black hole with their own eyes. The Event Horizon Telescope finally made that possible. They travel to remote locations to take part in this historic scientific mission to produce the first photo of a black hole.

Black Hole First Picture showcases stunning cinematography of each site of the Event Horizon Telescope, including real-world footage captured at seven of the eight telescopes. To produce the film, the Cosm Studios team and Writer-Director, Robin Sip, travelled across 10 countries and utilized 3D printing to model the South Pole Telescope. 95 percent of the film is live-action footage, versus CGI. Through the lens of this film, we see the tremendous contributions and impact made by the global science community, inspiring future generations across the globe.

“Black Hole First Picture is different from existing Black Hole films as it shows the human effort and emotion behind this very first image of a black hole,” said fulldome film Producer/Director Robin Sip. “This film is more about what it means to be an astronomer and inspires future generations with the knowledge that it pays off to think big and try to do the impossible. There is value in seeing and knowing more of the Universe we live in.”