AmDocs 2019 – Gods from Space
This documentary enters the surreal universe of The Aetherius Society, where prayer can be stored in a battery, Jesus was an alien, and an unusual but kind-hearted religious community strives for the betterment of humanity.
Interview with Director/Animator Annalise Pasztor
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When I was about ten years old, I started my own religion. Equal parts terrified and bored by Catholic mass, I climbed a tree in my yard one morning and refused to come down. I claimed religious liberty, calling my new institution The Church of the Squirrel. I’m no longer strictly observant of squirrel church doctrine, but as I’ve gotten older I've become fascinated with the origins and workings of religion. When I found out about The Aetherius Society, I knew I had to make a film exploring their world, challenging and expanding my own ideas about religion. There's an oft-repeated phrase in ethnographic work that I've adopted as a goal for my creative projects: make the familiar strange and the strange familiar.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Gods From Space is an opportunity to experience an otherworldly religion outside of the culturally-entrenched faiths we are used to, raising questions about what defines religion and why it wields the power that it does.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The Aetherius Society's beliefs might seem strange at first glance, but they tap into what humans have grappled with all throughout history: the desire for a larger cosmic order. Religion provides for many not only an explanation for the world but a path forward through suffering and confusion. In the film, Reverend Brian Keneipp explains that “part of our evolution is to get out of this mess we’re in.” To this end, they adhere to the teachings of extraterrestrial intelligences, the ranks of which include Jesus and Buddha. This religious philosophy seems to me just as reasonable an interpretation as the next. Why is Jesus the enlightened alien from Venus any more peculiar than Jesus the resurrected son of God, born of a virgin? It all comes down to personal faith.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The film was developed and completed within the span of about six weeks. We shot for only two weekends, so this was a pretty quick turnaround with a limited runtime. Due to the time constraints, I did a lot of research and planning prior to shooting and guided the story towards what I saw as the most accessible and thought-provoking themes. I would ideally love to tackle more and go deeper in a future (longer) film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
My favorite response has been from people who think it’s a fictional piece. Several have come up and complimented me on the production design and dialogue writing--it makes my day when I get to break the news.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
There are people who walk away only with the impression that The Aetherius Society is the most absurd group of people--and that’s fine. I didn’t make the film to comment or pass judgement on the religion one way or another. I wanted to let the material and members speak for themselves. At the same time, I want to warn against the tendency to dismiss or group those with different beliefs than our own as an “other,” hopefully recognizing that our similarities are far greater than our differences.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'm always grateful for the opportunity to expand the reach of my films!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I’m looking for support in widening the audience for this film, and would love to partner with those who feel Gods From Space would be a good fit for their platform. Buyers, distributors, journalists, agents, or festival directors are all welcome!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Everyone will come away with different impressions of The Aetherius Society, but I wanted the film to convey that no matter what beliefs you ascribe to, striving for kindness and generosity are higher universal ideals. I like the idea that all religions tap into the same source (be it a god, a law of physics, a connection in the human brain, or something far more unimaginable) and return with slightly different interpretations--a game of cosmic telephone, if you will. We're all kids at a museum with our hands in one of those mystery boxes, feeling around and making our own conclusion about the contents. I’m not trying to tell you any answers, I certainly don’t have them myself. I’m hoping to pose the question: what does it matter if we aren’t all good to each other?
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Oh boy, as you've read above, the genetic makeup of this film is 99% debate questions. Primarily: what do people find in religion?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm currently in post-production for a documentary that explores the relationship between a mother-daughter pair of chefs. I'm also working on a long-form multimedia piece profiling LGBT cowgirls.
Interview: April 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Gods from Space
This documentary enters the surreal universe of The Aetherius Society, where prayer can be stored in a battery, Jesus was an alien, and an unusual but kind-hearted religious community strives for the betterment of humanity.
Length: 5:02
Director: Annalise Pasztor
Producer: Ty Leet
Writer: Annalise Pasztor
About the writer, director and producer:
ANNALISE PASZTOR is a visual storyteller from Texas studying film and anthropology at USC. She's dabbled in everything from dance films to stunt driving, but her true love is documentary film and multimedia journalism. Her work has been published at the Austin Chronicle and screened at Slamdance, DOCLA, NFFTY, and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.
TY LEET is a filmmaker and technology enthusiast from Seattle. A recent grad from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Ty has been producing projects at Troika, a creative branding agency with clients ranging from Amazon to ESPN. As alumni of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s Gold Program, Ty hopes to one day direct content that with greater inclusion and diversity, promoting stories that will foster conversation and understanding. He’s also allergic to everything. Except for coconuts.
Key cast: The Aetherius Society
Looking for: distributors, film festival directors, journalists, buyers
Twitter: @annalisepasztor
Instagram: @annalisepasztor
Website: www.annalisepasztor.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Film festival/Palm Springs, CA - March 30