Edition 2015

The Visit

Earth may not have been visited by aliens, but ever since the invention of radio and television, humans have been sending signals into outer space, announcing their existence to other civilizations, so the question is not ‘what if’ it happens, but rather ‘when’. With unprecedented access to everyone from the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs to experts from NASA, ISU (International Space University), the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, and military advisors, the film builds up a chillingly believable scenario of first contact on Earth, beginning with the simplest of questions: Why are you here? How do you think? What do you see in humans that we don’t see in ourselves?
The implications unfold within a mind-bending landscape of everyday sights and sounds turned bizarre and extraordinary, as if seen through the eyes of a life form exploring our planet for the first time. Acclaimed film director, Michael Madsen, takes viewers on a journey beyond their terrestrial perspective and into the unknown, revealing the fears, hopes, and rituals of a species forced not only to confront alien life forms that may or may not view us as a threat, but also its own self image and the most difficult questions of all: “Who are we?”

Theme:

Politics

Michael Madsen

Michael Madsen is a conceptual artist and director of the multiple award-winning “Into Eternity” (2010). Recent films include “Halden Prison”, in 3D and part of “Cathedrals of Culture” initiated by Wim Wenders. In addition, Michael has been guest lecturer at a.o. The Royal Danish Academy of Art, The Danish Film School, University of California. University of Western Sydney, School of Architecture, London. Workshops include ”Workshop For Individuals With Absolutely No Idea For A Film”.

Director_Michael-Madsen_The_Visit_bin

Technical details

Year:

2014

Credits

Direction
Michael Madsen
Executive Production
Lise Lense-Møller
Distribution
DocsBarcelona Distribution
Production
Magic Hour Films
DOP
Heikki Färm
Edit
Nathan Nugent, Stefan Sundlöf

Screening times

Awards