‘I Want to Believe’: New Documentary Explores the Enigma of Billy Meier with Newly Revealed Top Creative Team

Chilean screenwriter and sci-fi author Julio Rojas, known for the popular audio series ‘Caso 63,’ and director Miguel León, recognized for ‘El Secreto del Doctor Grinberg’ (2020) and Netflix’s ‘La Dama del Silencio’ (2023), have spent the past two years investigating Billy Meier, one of the most mysterious and controversial figures in UFO studies.

They are collaborating with Maquina Vega, a new production company based in Los Angeles and Mexico City. The company is a partnership between Gary “Gaz” Alazraki of ‘Father of the Bride’ fame and producer Alisa Tager. Together, they are creating a documentary titled ‘I Want to Believe,’ which aims to provide a deep and unique exploration of Meier’s extraordinary and often questionable claims about extraterrestrials.

Billy Meier, born in Switzerland in 1937, says his encounters with extraterrestrials began when he was only five years old. In the 1970s, he gained widespread attention with his striking photographs of UFOs set against Switzerland’s peaceful landscapes.

These images sparked both fascination and controversy, elevating Meier to the status of a spiritual leader and a prominent figure in UFO research worldwide.

Interestingly, one of Meier’s famous photographs even appeared on the original X-Files poster. However, a legal dispute eventually led to the show removing the iconic image. Despite the controversies, Meier’s claims and photos continue to spark debates about the existence of extraterrestrial life.

“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,” Julio Rojas told Variety.

Their investigation focused on a 1976 photograph of a UFO allegedly hovering over the Swiss countryside, taken long before tools like Photoshop or AI could fake such images. “What was it about that enigmatic photo… that so bewitched so many people?” Rojas wondered.

The journey led them across the globe — from Switzerland to Washington, Oslo to the Vatican Observatory, and Mexico City to London. Stops in cities like New York, Rome, Madrid, and Arizona, along with accounts from various witnesses, revealed new insights. Each place and story, Rojas said, added “a unique piece to this oscillating puzzle and rabbit hole.”

For the film, Julio Rojas traveled to Switzerland to meet Billy Meier, where the line between imagination and reality seemed to blur. This theme perfectly suits director Miguel León, known for blending documentary and fiction in his work, making him an ideal choice to capture the mystery surrounding Meier’s extraordinary claims.

“It is a metaphysical thriller that invites the viewer to a great adventure,” León said. He described the project as a “narrative Tower of Babel,” filmed over nearly two years across seven countries, in pursuit of an elusive photograph that challenges the boundaries of reality and fiction.

The film’s visuals are crafted by Carlos Muñoz Gómez-Quintero, a skilled cinematographer from Barcelona with nearly 20 years of experience. Known for his expertise in using natural light and creating rich interior scenes, Muñoz is set to bring a distinctive visual style and depth to the documentary.

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