UNARIUS!
Two films exploring the Unarius Academy of Science
Director: Jodi Wille
Starring: Ruth Norman, Kevin Kennedy, Dave Osbourne
Runtime: 101 min., USA
Language: English
WELCOME SPACE BROTHERS 2023
WELCOME SPACE BROTHERS dives into the astonishing true story of the Unarius Academy of Science, an extraterrestrial-channeling spiritual school and self-healing community founded in El Cajon in the 1970s. Guided by the dazzlingly outlandish Ruth E. Norman—revered by followers as "Archangel Uriel"—Unarius transformed from a fringe metaphysical movement into a wildly inventive public-access television phenomenon of the 1980s, complete with cosmic pageantry, interplanetary wisdom, and unforgettable DIY sci-fi visions. With the same curiosity and wonder that made The Source Family so captivating, director Jodi Wille brings this singularly American saga of belief, performance, and transcendence to the screen.
"If I didn't know this was a documentary, I'd swear it was a WTF, insane, sci-fi tale of weirdness." — Film Threat
Wednesday, August 5
THE ARRIVAL W/ UNARIUS MIXTAPE 1980
With the blessing of the Unarius Academy, it’s the first theatrical release of their truly spectacular DIY sci-fi lodestone THE ARRIVAL. This joyful expression of cosmic optimism is a recruiting film for one of the most colorful spiritual movements to emerge from a post-WWII America. Shot on a shoestring budget in suburban San Diego, THE ARRIVAL is a religious epic in miniature with a time-bending plot, dazzling optical SFX and a searing soundtrack performed on homemade synths. It’s as if ABBA and Ed Wood had joined forces with special effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull. And, as an expression of UFO culture, THE ARRIVAL stands in luminous contrast to the darker, conspiratorial turn that field took as the Eighties went on.
Screening with a bonus 30-minute “Unarius Mixtape” piece to play before the feature!
Wednesday, August 19
Director: Unarius Academy of Science
Starring: Various
Runtime: 84 min., USA
Language: English