A Million Miles Away has claimed the top spot on Amazon Prime charts

POSTED ON Sep 26, 2023

On Monday, September 25, the University of California, Merced, held a special film screening of “A Million Miles Away.”

The film tells the inspiring story of José Moreno Hernández, a former NASA astronaut and current University of California Regent. Before the two-hour screening, Hernández gave a brief speech.

The biopic of José Moreno Hernández, starring Michael Peña, became one of the top 10 movies on Amazon Prime worldwide on September 24, 2023, according to FlixPatrol, which ranks the most popular movies and TV shows on Amazon Prime.

In an interview with ABC NewsLive Prime, the former NASA astronaut advised everyone to dream big and put in the work to make things happen. “Being able to see the Earth from a unique perspective is a privilege only a few out of 7 billion have had,” Hernandez said.

A Million Miles Away tells the story of Hernández and many migrant families who want their children to attend school.

Despite facing significant challenges, such as traveling to farms and learning English by age ten, Hernandez went on to obtain degrees in engineering and work at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

In 2009, he was chosen to go to space as a mission specialist after a dozen attempts. Hernandez’s tenacity was his superpower and the key to his success.

Nowadays, he focuses his time on inspiring young people to pursue careers in STEM. He believes that when kids see people who look like them, speak English with an accent, and come from humble beginnings, they feel empowered and say, “If he can do it, I can do it too.”

Hernández advises migrant parents to find a way to provide a supportive environment at home for their school-going kids, even as they work long hours to put food on the table.

One advice he always gives in his motivational speeches is to enjoy the journey when picking a goal in life because that’s ninety percent of your time and effort. If you’re not enjoying the journey, chances are you picked the wrong plan for yourself.

What were the odds that a boy who was raised picking vegetables in the fields of California would one day become the first migrant farmworker to make it to space?” the ABC interviewer asked.

Hernandez hopes that A Million Miles Away helps Latinos watching at home and inspires them to follow their dreams.

Houston, we have lift-off! A Million Miles Away now on @PrimeVideo. A great way to start #HispanicHeritageMonth2023 Grab your popcorn and watch this at home with the familia! On the last stretch of the promotional tour visiting Houston schools and @NASA_Johnson @marquezabella pic.twitter.com/YgEkU4h77f

— Jose Hernandez (@Astro_Jose) September 15, 2023

Amazing! #AMillionMilesAway Still #1 in the world for Amazon @PrimeVideo Aún sigue la película #AMillonesDeKilometros número 1 para Amazon prime video en el mundo! If you haven’t seen it, it’s a must see!! https://t.co/YKBE4HMaRb

— Jose Hernandez (@Astro_Jose) September 25, 2023