Contactado

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Note of intent

My main interest is to approach the human soul in its contradictions in matters of faith. Thus, we follow an agnostic and cynic character, in his role as a spiritual guide, creating his own interplanetary catechism, supported in a mixture of ancient latinamerican traditions, assorted myths and exotic religions. We see him in his joyful exercise of fraud, until he becomes a victim of his own fictions. We also approach the UFO phenomenon in Latin America, not in order to enquire about its existence, but as a new cult, with a growing base in the region. In times of economic uncertainty, social disruption and fundamentalism, people look for something to believe in. Once upon a time it used to be priests, then psychoanalysts, now it is the “contactees.”

Synopsis

Our character, surrounded by his followers, stares at the night sky, which is lit up by a perpetual lightning that is repeated every 45 seconds. Our character smiles for the group, crossing his fingers in a peculiar way. Some of them, excited, bow before the  lightning. Our character is a young man who has been “contacted” (meaning that he has peaceful encounters with aliens), with followers of his own, mostly poor people with their need to believe, in a context devoid of any hope. Our contactee keeps them captivated with millennial speeches and resorting to unique natural phenomena, as evidence of interstellar presence. It is moving and hilarious to see how innocently the followers are captivated by his speeches. This contrasts with dogmatic attitude of our contactee, who we will little by little discover as a cynic and a skeptic, who obviously doesn’t believe in what he preaches. Suddenly, little unexplainable events, similar to those he uses to manipulate his followers, will begin to disturb him. Our contactee will begin to lose his self confidence. He becomes paranoid. The unexplainable events of which “he is the only witness” increase, as apocalyptic nightmares. His imagination begins playing tricks on him. He becomes his own worst enemy.

Visual concept

The image shows two contrasting geographies: On one hand, a precarious Latin American capital; and on the other, breathtaking scenery. This overwhelming geography is home to rarified natural phenomena (Venezuela), or ancient ruins (Peru), keys to the story that our character will use as evidence of extraterrestrial presence. That is the case with the Catatumbo– a meteorological phenomenon that forms a perpetual and silent lightning over Lake Maracaibo. This superb spaces will be recorded in long shots, which will emphasize how minuscule humans are, easy to surrender before a scam. This, opposite to a mise en scene in the city, with free hand held camera, which follows its unsettled pace.