‘I Want to Believe’ Documentary About Ufology’s Most Controversial Figure, Billy Meier, Unveils Key Creative Talent (EXCLUSIVE)

Jamie Lang

21 January 2025 at 9:57 am·3-min read

Chilean screenwriter, director, and science fiction author Julio Rojas, best known for his acclaimed audio series “Caso 63” and director Miguel León, whose recent works include the critically acclaimed “El Secreto del Doctor Grinberg” (2020) and the Netflix hit “La Dama del Silencio” (2023), have spent the last two years looking for the truth behind one of the most mysterious and controversial figures in the field of extraterrestrial investigation, Billy Meier.

The duo is working with Maquina Vega – a new production company with offices in Los Angeles and Mexico City, partnering “Father of the Bride” Gary “Gaz” Alazraki’s Alazraki Entertainment with Alisa Tager – on a documentary titled “I Want to Believe,” which promises to offer an unprecedented look at Meier’s lifetime of dubious claims.

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Born in Switzerland in 1937, Meier claims to have been in contact with extraterrestrial beings since he was just five years old. His photographs of spacecraft against serene Swiss landscape caused a sensation in the 1970s, propelling him to the status of a spiritual guru and a global authority in UFO studies. His work was also featured on the original X-files poster before a legal battle forced the show to drop the iconic image.

“What started as a quest for the most iconic UFO photograph in popular culture turned into an obsession for both Miguel and me, seeking answers about the very fabric of reality,” Rojas tells Variety. “What was it about that enigmatic photo of an alleged UFO hovering over the Swiss countryside, taken in 1976 — before Photoshop and generative AI — that so bewitched so many people? We followed its trail from Switzerland to Washington, from a small bar in Oslo to the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, from Mexico City to London. Each place — New York, Rome, Madrid, Arizona — and each witness contributed a unique piece to this oscillating puzzle and rabbit hole.”

For the film, Rojas traveled to Switzerland to meet and speak with Meier in a meeting where the boundaries between imagination and reality were blurred. It’s a perfect mix for a filmmaker like León, whose work often blends documentary and fiction and who is an ideal filmmaker to capture the enigmatic essence of Meier’s claims.

“It is a metaphysical thriller that invites the viewer to a great adventure,” León explains. “A narrative Tower of Babel filmed for almost two years in seven countries, in search of an impossible photo that dynamites the borders between reality and fiction.”

The film’s visual language is developed by Carlos Muñoz Gómez-Quintero, a seasoned director of photography from Barcelona. With nearly two decades of experience, Muñoz’s ability to harness natural light and create compelling interior atmospheres is expected to bring a unique visual depth to the documentary.

“I Want to Believe” is produced by Máquina Vega and further supported by Mauricio Vázquez, a Mexican entrepreneur and philanthropist passionate about bringing Meier’s story to light.

“Máquina Vega is in search of innovative proposals and content that make a difference in all cinematographic genres,” says producer Moisés Chiver. “Having Julio Rojas and Miguel León in such a unique story, which intertwines reality, science fiction and dreams, captivated us from the first moment. The unique vision of both creators and their artistic search coincides perfectly with the essence of the project, creating a narrative that has left us completely enchanted.”

“I think that ‘I Want to Believe: In Search of an Impossible Photo’ is both an obsessive investigation and a reflection on the nature of truth and belief in these strange times, where no one seems to care about either one or the other,” adds Julio Rojas.

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