Steven Spielberg. Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Steven Spielberg, an American filmmaker, said aliens and UFOs remain a serious subject for him as he returned to the topic at SXSW while discussing his new film, “Disclosure Day.” During a live conversation at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, Spielberg said he strongly suspects humans are not alone on Earth, even if he has no more proof than anyone else.
The director said he has believed since childhood that intelligent life exists beyond Earth. He said the bigger question, in his view, is whether humanity is alone now and whether it has ever truly been alone.
Spielberg said the recent public debate pushed that interest back to the front of his mind. He pointed to a 2017 New York Times report about unexplained aerial sightings by U.S. Navy pilots and to later congressional hearings on the issue.
He also referred to Barack Obama’s recent comments about life in the cosmos, saying his first reaction was that the timing was helpful for “Disclosure Day.”
Steven Spielberg shares why aliens and UFOs still matter to him
He said the film considers what could happen if long-running interaction with nonhuman life were ever confirmed. Spielberg said such a development could shake religious and social beliefs, but he does not see it as something fatal. He also said he is not afraid of aliens.
🚨 Steven Spielberg thinks aliens might already be here among humans. pic.twitter.com/5blwtarU7c
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Even so, Spielberg said he has never had a UFO sighting of his own. He joked that, despite making “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” he has yet to witness anything unexplained — not even at the most basic level of reported UFO contact.
The SXSW session was a live taping of “The Big Picture” with host Sean Fennessey. A career-spanning reel opened the event, highlighting films including “Jaws,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T.,” “Schindler’s List,” “Jurassic Park,” “Catch Me If You Can” and “Munich.” The audience included filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Daniel Kwan.
Spielberg uses SXSW appearance to back theaters
Spielberg also used the appearance to defend theaters and original filmmaking. He said streaming has value and noted that he works with Netflix, but said the strongest movie experience still comes in theaters, where strangers gather and leave sharing the feeling of a story. He compared that connection to what audiences find at concerts, ballet and opera.
He also warned against repeating the same sequel or franchise formula, saying fresh filmmaking gives audiences a better chance to experience something new.
On artificial intelligence, Spielberg said he supports its use in many fields but draws the line at AI substituting for human creativity. He said he has not used AI in his own films.
Spielberg closed by confirming he is developing a Western, has no interest in social media, and has no plans to stop making movies.
