CHICAGO – Theatrical satires of the Star Wars Universe are like the number of TV series the universe has wrought … too many to figure out if anything is worthwhile. But “Trade Federation” (subtitled “Or Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels”), presented by Otherworld Theatre in Wrigleyville Chicago, gets it right on.
SXSW2022: Director Billy Miossi on ‘It’s Quieter in the Twilight’



CHICAGO – As the 2022 SXSW Festival wraps up this weekend, many filmmakers brought their new works, and one that stood out is a new documentary on Voyager, the space probes (1 & 2) that were launched in 1977 and still miraculously are exploring the interstellar galaxy. Filmmaker Billy Miossi profiles the crew keeping tabs on the probes in “it’s Quieter in the Twilight.”
The two Voyager crafts were conceived as an experiment to explore our solar system close up, as the planetary alignment at the time of launch was a rare occurrence. With each new view of these mysterious orbs, the plucky vehicles sent back incredible images to a cheering scientific community. The mission began with 1200 engineers, and even as the explorers continued to send back key and miraculous data, the dedicated mission team has shrunk to less than 20 vital caretakers.

It’s Quieter in the Twilight
Photo credit: SXSW.com
This is director Billy Miossi’s second documentary feature, after 2017’s Eye on the World: The Rise of Walter Cronkite and the Evening News,” On “It’s Quieter in the Twilight,” he recently said … “There’s a unique dichotomy that drew me into the story of the aging Voyager mission. The grandest feat of human exploration being steered by a humble few sitting in a drab office space. They seek no fame, no recognition. Instead, they’re content to quietly contribute a novel expertise for the sake of a deeper understanding of the vastness that exists beyond our world.”
Billy Miossi talks to Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com on his fantastic journey with Voyager and its emotional mission …
![]() | By PATRICK McDONALD |