The Toronto Film Festival documentary “Space Cowboy” explores the triumphs and tragedies of skydiving cinematographer Joe Jennings. Jennings’ desire to film an open-top car falling from the sky with four passengers inside is the narrative device used to structure the story.
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Jennings' successful marriage and the decades he spent capturing groundbreaking aerial moments with his camera for extreme sports events, Super Bowl commercials and Hollywood films including "Charlie's Angels" and "XXX" are all part of the 98-minute documentary directed by Marah Strauch ("Sunshine Superman") and Bryce Leavitt.
But the documentary also doesn't shy away from the darker periods in Jennings' life, such as a difficult childhood, depression and the tragic loss of his friend and fellow skydiver enthusiast Rob Harris in the mid-1990s.
Variety spoke with Jennings, Strauch and Leavitt about “Space Cowboy,” which premieres Friday at TIFF.
