Contact

Dr. Ellie Arroway, a committed researcher, works tirelessly at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, part of the SETI program. Inspired by her father Theodore's passion for science, she listens for radio signals from outer space, hoping to discover extraterrestrial life.

Ellie collaborates with her colleague Kent Clarke, who, despite being visually impaired, shares her enthusiasm for the quest for knowledge. Together with research assistant Fisher, they tackle various challenges in their mission to uncover the secrets of the cosmos.

In her personal life, Ellie forms a complex relationship with Christian philosopher Palmer Joss. Their discussions often challenge Ellie’s atheism, as Palmer provides insights into how technology affects society, complicating her logical perspective on life and the universe.

Ellie's work faces a severe challenge when David Drumlin, the presidential science advisor, threatens to withdraw funding from the SETI program. This moment puts Ellie’s mission at significant risk, forcing her to fight for its survival.

Just as hope dwindles, enigmatic billionaire S. R. Hadden steps in to provide the necessary funding support for SETI. With renewed backing, Ellie and her team are able to continue their groundbreaking research at the Very Large Array in New Mexico.

Four years later, in 1996, Ellie receives a remarkable signal from the Vega star system, featuring a sequence of prime numbers. This discovery generates excitement, but also leads to tension when Drumlin and advisor Kitz attempt to control the findings.

The signal not only includes prime numbers but also a video of Adolf Hitler's inaugural address from the 1936 Olympics. This alarming revelation indicates that humanity's first strong signal has successfully made contact with another civilization.

As interest in the project intensifies worldwide, Ellie discovers over 63,000 pages of indecipherable data within the received signal. This unexpected find raises questions about the potential meaning and significance of the transmission.

In a controversial turn of events, public pressure mounts for the construction of a machine to facilitate contact with the alien civilization. Despite her candidacy, concerns about Ellie's atheism lead Palmer to support Drumlin as the primary candidate for the mission.

A devastating attack by a religious extremist targets the newly constructed machine, resulting in several fatalities, including that of Drumlin. This tragedy underscores the dark side of the mission and its implications for humanity.

In a moment of urgency, dying billionaire Hadden reveals the existence of a second machine located in Japan. This information gives Ellie a glimmer of hope and the opportunity to represent humanity in the cosmic journey.

As Ellie gears up for the journey, she steps into the machine that will take her through a series of exhilarating wormholes in space. This moment marks a pivotal transition from being a scientist to becoming a representative of humanity.

During her interstellar journey, Ellie arrives at Vega and comes face to face with an advanced civilization. In an astonishing twist, she is transported to a beach resembling her own childhood drawings and meets a figure taking the shape of her father.

Upon her return to Earth, Ellie's claims of an 18-hour journey are met with skepticism from the mission control team, who insist it lasted only moments. This disagreement leads to further questioning of her experience, resulting in a Congressional Committee meeting.

In a powerful conclusion, Ellie appeals to the committee to recognize her experience based on faith rather than mere scientific proof. Her testimony holds significant weight as Kitz and Constantine reflect on its implications for humanity's understanding of the universe.