A documentary exploring UFO myths, esotericism and postcolonial memory.By Jonathan Jäggi and Tobias Kubli
Produced by point de vue
Original title: ERICH AUF DEM PAPAGEIENBERG
Genre: Documentary
Language: Spanish / German
Length: 90–120 minutes
Format: DCP, 16:9, color
Status: In development
Funding: Migros Story Lab (Stage I)
Pitchings: 78th Locarno Film Festival, 61st Solothurn Film Festival, 57th Visions du Réel – NyonTags: Post‑truth society, esotericism, conspiracy theories, post-colonial memories, outcasts, New Age, mystic–esoteric tourism
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.
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.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.
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.
Production: point de vue
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. In 2026, he completed a Master’s degree in Directing at the Zurich University of the Arts. He currently 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.