THE ANTARES PARADOX

Even though THE ANTARES PARADOX tends to be more of a drama than pure science fiction, the plot will keep you on the edge of your seat. The film begins with a simple premise: Alexandra, a SETI scientist searching for extraterrestrial life, arrives for the night shift at an astronomy observatory and discovers that the radio antenna has intercepted a signal from outer space. With a thorough protocol in place to ensure the signal isn’t just interference from other human technology, such as satellites in orbit, she only has a short window of time to verify the transmission. Her project only has access to the observatory for a limited amount of time each day… and that’s when the film switches gears and floors the gas pedal. For me, ANTARES is a cocktail of THE GUILTY, BURIED, and THE VAST OF NIGHT — a film that plays in a single, contained space, where a talented director keeps introducing innovative devices to drag you back to your seat’s edge just as soon as you start to relax. ANTARES may be a drama, but it’s a drama that will also make you reflect upon your family and your priorities. What would you be willing to sacrifice to prove we are not alone in the universe? How far would you go? Even though THE ANTARES PARADOX is Luis Tinoco’s first feature film, it’s not his first experience in the movie business. Tinoco has worked for more than 20 years as a 3D animator and visual effects artist on big Hollywood movies. All I can say is, “Welcome to the director’s chair, Luis. I can’t wait to see what’s next.” (ANNICK MAHNERT)