Whether we are alone in the universe is a long contested debate. Some argue that we can’t be the only sentient life considering the infinity of space. Others believe that if there were aliens out there, mankind would already know about them. This in turn leads into another argument – are extra-terrestrials visiting Earth now? Whilst the vast majority of people don’t think so, many others claim to have seen a UFO or two, with some even stating that they have been abducted. A group of New York believers form the focus of documentary They’re Here, in hopes of shedding further light on the truth.
Directed by Daniel Claridge and Pacho Velez, They’re Here takes a different approach to other documentaries exploring the possibility of extraterrestrials. Others within the sub-genre either play their tone as super silly or uncomfortably serious. Claridge and Velez instead go more arthouse and experimental with their approach. At several points, recreations of the various subject’s encounters are restaged with the witness. This adds a layer of whimsy to proceedings and frees They’re Here from the shackles of the static talking head convention.
The whole documentary has an odd, kooky vibe to it, helped greatly by the people selected for documentation. The subjects present an interesting melting pot of one New York suburb and include a woman who used to be abducted regularly until she asked her visitors to stop, a stand-up comedian who is trying to use his sighting of a UFO for his act, and a man who went viral with his UFO video photo. With no two subjects alike, They’re Here shows how it is not just one subset of people that are selected by our intergalactic visitors. What is missing though, is a little balance. Although each subject is wildly different to the others, each shares a similar DNA of open mindedness that makes it easy for sceptics to brush aside.
Another troubling aspect of They’re Here is that the production appears a little too polished. The staging of the interviews is a little too perfect, and on occasion, such as when all interviewees attend a local science-fiction fair, feel a tad too staged and contrived. These moments jolt the viewer out of the documentary setting and will have some questioning the legitimacy. What cannot be argued against however, is the overriding waves of melancholy that seep through the screen. Whilst this is not the sort of documentary that pokes fun at its subjects, or one seeking to explain the trauma of an alien experience, a lot of They’re Here is tinged with sadness. Watching participants have their evidence brushed aside, or struggle to navigate the idea that they may have been abducted, is unexpectedly heart wrenching.
A wildly unusual documentary, They’re Here subverts expectations. A film which is neither going for scares nor laughs, They’re Here instead simply presents the experiences of one community and leaves the audience to decide for themselves what to believe.
They’re Here
Summary
Despite the title They’re Here has nothing to do with Poltergeist, instead focusing on a community with extra-terrestrial experiences. The resulting documentary is a weird mix of melancholy, whimsy, and kooky characters.
They’re Here was reviewed at TriBeCa 2024.
