Kriti Mehrotra
While there’s no denying there has always been quite a lot of controversy over whether or not we’re the only beings in this entire universe, ‘Moment of Contact‘ (2022) nearly brings it to a close. After all, this James Fox-directed original film explores some of the most convincing evidence of extraterrestrial existence yet, and it’s through the alleged 1996 UFO incident in Varginha, Brazil. So, of course, the documentary comprises several first-hand testimonies as well as archival footage, leading to arguably the most significant question of them all — is any of it even authentic?
Is Moment of Contact Real or Fake?
If we’re being honest, ‘Moment of Contact’ has decisively been billed as a naturally unscripted documentary production ever since its core idea was first announced to the world back in 2021. This indicates that despite the careful selection of featuring personalities, the penned voice-over narration, and the meticulous staging for event re-creations, there was no screenplay involved. In other words, no circumstances, discussions, or sentiments were put in place by industry professionals to have the witnesses’ tales and evidence come across as any different than in real life.
However, we can not ignore the fact that this movie is rather susceptible to behind-the-scenes modifications to make the final result much more captivating, intense, as well as haunting for viewers. That’s because producers/filmmakers beyond a particular point primarily focus on securing a return on the extensive resources — time, money, skills, energy, space, etc. — they had invested in. Yet this does not mean they concoct anything from the ground up; they merely nudge the leading figures to gradually take up details or reach specific conclusions to spark some intrigue.
The prime example of this is honestly any interview helmed by James Fox, particularly because the way an individual divulges information depends entirely upon his phrasing of the questions. In fact, he might’ve asked them to describe the alleged UFO’s size/shape, the smells they’d noticed, and the aura of other extraterrestrial aspects in this exact order to make it clear to us that every witness’ accounts match to a T. We can actually confidently state this without doubting the latters’ integrity because most of them have made nearly identical public statements for years, some even dating back to 1996 itself.
Then there comes the post-production process, but this is utterly unavoidable since it is the producers’ sole means to bring together a good flow between different scenes from different takes. This facet is thus in the hands of those behind the cameras alone, meaning they can cut and edit the witnesses’ narrative in any way they deem fit to hold the audience’s constant attention.
Nevertheless, despite the editing as well as the nudging, it appears as if ‘Moment of Contact’ is as natural, real, and unscripted as it can be since there is no element manufacturing in any way, shape, or form. Yet it’s imperative to note you should always take most documentaries with a grain of salt, as you never really know the true extent of producer interference, engineering, or manipulation.
Read More: Marco Chereze: Who Was He? How Did the Alien Witness Die?
