One of the greatest alien discoveries in history was completely invented

The existence of extraterrestrial life was apparently proven with the best-known audiovisual recordings, but the images that made history were not what they seemed.

It all started when the late Argentine journalist José de Zer traveled to a devastated countryside in 1986 after hearing rumors of UFOs.

But instead of documenting alien sightings, it became a case of complete fabrication. It was a more innocent and trusting time, so they were able to fool viewers in a way that wouldn’t be possible today.

The surprising story is the inspiration behind The man who loved UFOswhich will arrive on Netflix later this week.

‘After receiving a tempting but questionable invitation, fearless entertainment journalist José de Zer, along with his trusted cameraman Chango, heads to a small town in the province of Córdoba to report on a mysterious circle that has appeared on some farms in the hills,’ teased the blurb.

‘What follows is the invention of the most famous alien sightings in the history of Argentine television.’

Although the story is well known in Argentina, it may now attract interest around the world. Here’s everything we know about the comedy-drama film…

The inspiration behind The Man Who Loved UFOs

Director and co-writer Diego Lerman spoke about what led him to bring the story to the small screen.

‘I spent my holidays in Córdoba, where the story takes place, so I remember the stories and always wanted to write something about them.

‘I remembered the character José, so I started researching and it made me think there was an interesting film to make about him and the origins of fake news, for example,’ he explained to The Hollywood Reporter.

De Zer began his career as a journalist in small newspapers and later in Gente magazine. It was said that he smoked a lot and drank a lot of coffee and alcohol. This sometimes prevented him from reaching interviewees.

After hosting the radio program Generación Espontanea, he later moved to television. He was an entertainment reporter for Canal 11 in Buenos Aires, before contributing as a reporter for the news program Nuevediario between 1984 and 1994.

The popular journalist is best remembered for the six months he spent in Córdoba while in the role. During this time, he invented a supposed UFO landing site near Uritorco mountain. There were no facts to base the report on, but he didn’t let that stop him from producing footage.

He becomes a local hero, known for his slogan: ‘Follow me, Chango, follow me’. The coverage also led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting the area, desperate for sightings.

However, years after the footage was released, it was discovered that the footage was fake. The lights seen in the videos were actually from flashlights or cigarettes. Strange burnt insects were planted by De Zer, and the hieroglyphs on the cave walls were rocks painted by him in a hotel room.

Speaking about the motivation behind De Zer’s desire to create the story, Lerman said: “When José discusses things with his boss, he says this is what people want. People are tired of hearing bad news, of talking about the economy and political problems. They want something to believe in.

Although the film is based on true events, Lerman invented some details about De Zer’s personal life.

‘He did his public things but protected his private life. So I imagined a lot”, he explained.

De Zer died in 1997 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease and esophageal cancer.

His love of bizarre, gonzo reporting would inspire the TV that grew in popularity in the 1990s.

Who appears in the cast?

The lead role of De Zer is played by Leonardo Sbaraglia – the Argentine actor who starred in Red Lights alongside Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver.

Speaking about her upcoming release, Sbaraglia, 54, called it “one of the most beautiful films” she has ever been a part of. “Thank you @lermandiegolerman for this beautiful character and this film that I hope continues to take us into the stratosphere,” he added on Instagram.

The person who played the role of José’s daughter, Renata Lerman, is Lerman’s daughter, Marti. “So it’s kind of a play on real life,” Lerman said, referring to the film’s theme.

The rest of the cast is made up of Sergio Prina, Osmar Núñez, María Merlino, Agustín Rittano and Norman Briski. The series will also feature special appearances by Daniel Aráoz and Mónica Ayos.

When is the release date?

After premiering at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September, it will have a global release on Netflix on October 18.

The film will be released in Spanish, El Hombre Que Amaba Los Platos, but a dubbed version with an English translation will also be available.

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