Pitch deck
SPIRITS WE DIDN'T ASK FOR
A hybrid documentary exploring UFO myths, esotericism and postcolonial memory.By Jonathan Jäggi and Tobias Kubli
Facts
Original title: ERICH AUF DEM PAPAGEIENBERG
Genre: Hybrid documentary
Language: Spanish / German
Length: 90–120 minutes
Format: DCP, 16:9, color
Production period: Spring 2025 – Spring 2028Tags: Post‑truth society, esotericism, conspiracy theories, post-colonial memories, outcasts, New Age, mystic–esoteric tourismLooking for: Co‑producers and financing partners
logline
In a post‑truth world, UFO myths, esotericism, and Eurocentric fantasies merge in Capilla del Monte (ARG). Starting from Erich von Däniken’s speculative theories, SPIRITS WE DIDN'T ASK FOR weaves documentary, fiction, and essay film into a critical exploration of truth and identity.
Project
The starting point is Capilla del Monte, a UFO hotspot in Córdoba, Argentina, where Western esotericism meets local belief systems. The small town is located at the foot of Cerro Uritorco, where a UFO is said to have landed in the 1980s. The film explores how pseudoscientific narratives, such as Erich von Däniken’s ancient astronaut theory, not only reproduce Eurocentric worldviews but are also co-opted by right-wing ideologies. Through a blend of documentary, essay, and fiction – embodied by the character Tomy from von Däniken’s novel “Tomy and the Planet of Lies” – the construction of alternative truths is revealed. Interviews with locals, historians, and UFO believers are interwoven with stylized reenactments and the filmmaker’s personal family history. SPIRITS WE DIDN'T ASK FOR shows how myths emerge, what societal effects they have, and why they become reality for many.
Motivation
We grew up with conspiracy theories, aliens, and ghost stories. What were once playful fantasies now leave us bewildered, as we watch these narratives hijacked by right-wing ideologies. That youthful curiosity, that innocent sense of wonder and “what if?”, has somehow mutated into alternative facts – twisted reflections of our imagination that now threaten democracy and tear at the fabric of our social cohesion.Our project aims to show how fiction shapes reality, and why the post-truth society is reaching ever larger parts of the population. We are especially interested in the rise of alternative narratives and their local manifestations in Capilla del Monte – a unique microcosm where Western esotericism, pseudoscientific theories, and local belief systems converge, creating a fertile ground for new social and cultural dynamics.
Form & Style
The film combines real interviews, surreal reenactments, and essayistic reflections. This hybrid narrative approach allows for a critical yet creative exploration of post-truth societies and post-colonial memories.
Status & Development
The project is currently in the research and development phase. A research trip to Capilla del Monte is planned for February 2026 – during the annual UFO festival “Alienígena.” Funding for development (Stage I) has already been granted by the Migros Kulturprozent Story Lab. We are currently looking for a production company for the next stage of development.
Timeline
Feb 2026 – Research trip to Capilla del Monte (UFO Festival “Alienígena”)
Apr 2026 – Development funding: BAK & Zurich Film Foundation
Sep 2026 – Migros Story Lab: Submission for Stage II
Jan 2027 – Production funding: BAK & Zurich Film Foundation
Spring 2027 – Filming
Summer 2027 – Post-production
Spring 2028 – Release
Strategy
Our project is aimed at an international documentary film audience, with a focus on festivals, labs, and industry platforms in Europe and Latin America. In Argentina, we are targeting the renowned Mar del Plata International Film Festival as a showcase for the South American film scene. In Switzerland, we aim for a premiere at either Visions du Réel or the Locarno Film Festival. Additionally, we are interested in project development platforms such as the IDFAcademy and CPH:LAB by CPH:DOX in Copenhagen – a hotspot for innovative international documentary projects.Beyond the festival circuit, we plan to organize impact screenings in collaboration with NGOs and civil society actors that engage with the challenges of a post-factual society, such as CORRECTIV. These screenings are intended to create dialogue around misinformation, conspiracy thinking, and the social consequences of alternative “truths”.
Team
Director: Jonathan Jäggi
Jonathan Jäggi (1993) is a Swiss-Argentinian filmmaker. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Multimedia Production from the University of Applied Sciences in Chur and worked at the production company C-Films. He later studied at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Currently, he is completing a Master’s degree in Film Directing at the Zurich University of the Arts and works as a multimedia producer for the architecture magazine Hochparterre as well as a freelance filmmaker and artist. His debut film TRANQUILLO (2018) screened at the Hof International Film Festival and was nominated for the Prix du Public at the Solothurn Film Festival. With the expanded cinema project FRACTURA (2024), he performed as part of the International Experimental Film & Video Festival Videoex.
Co-Director & DoP: Tobias Kubli
Tobias Kubli (1992) has been fully dedicated to the moving image since 2011. He learned the craft of filmmaking through various roles as a lighting technician and camera operator. Since 2013, he has worked as a freelance filmmaker and cinematographer both in Switzerland and abroad. As a director, he premiered his short documentary RUN FAST, BITE HARD at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur in 2021. His first feature film as a cinematographer, TRANQUILLO, was released in cinemas in 2018. Currently, the feature film WOLVES by Jonas Ulrich – Tobias’s second work as director of photography – is in the festival circuit.