Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Type

Thesis-Restricted

Degree Name

M.F.A.

Degree Program

Film and Theatre

Department

Film and Theatre

Major Professor

Griffin, Henry

Second Advisor

Hansen, Erik

Third Advisor

McLin, Kevin

Abstract

The thesis, “Hypoxia”, follows 35-year-old Astrid Rothchild, an atmospheric technician on the enclosed colony of Elora, who leads a mission to the planet Namid to solve a dangerous oxygen crisis. By discovering the true meaning behind “haelium” and humanizing the “alien race” of Namidians, the script challenges the winner’s narrative, teaches audiences members to speak up for what is right and to be active, rather than wait around for something to change.

“Hypoxia” is an independent sci fi feature about the effects of greed and a false narrative on society, valuing resources and life, loving and understanding one another, seeing “others” as human and not another face or mistake, and fixing a problem versus waiting around for something bad to happen. By facing the past with her estranged father, rediscovering her identity and values, Astrid is able to reshape the future for the better.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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