Films offer a powerful bridge between imagination and scientific understanding. This contribution demonstrates how carefully selected scenes from popular movies, such as Star Wars, Interstellar, The Martian, and Gravity, can be used to teach real astronomy concepts in middle and high school classrooms. Drawing on research in culturally relevant pedagogy and science education, the talk presents practical, low‑cost strategies for teachers to introduce topics like orbital motion, exoplanets, black holes, and space environments through narratives students already know and love. By connecting curriculum content to familiar stories, educators can increase engagement, support diverse learners, and make astronomy more inclusive, accessible, and inspiring.

Biography:

Ridima Sur is an astrophysicist with an MSc in Astrophysics from the University of Glasgow and a BSc in Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences from the University of Kent. Her research spans gravitational‑wave interferometry, plasma physics, space debris and cosmology, including work at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation in Portsmouth. Alongside her scientific work, she contributes to space governance research and has taught and mentored students through observatory work, public lectures, webinars and IAU NASE UAE training sessions. She also leads SGAC’s SLP PG's Cultural Track, exploring how films and popular media shape public engagement with space.