Conspiracy theories and scientific scepticism - "In Boxes" (short film)

Could there still be life on Mars? What if the first Mars rock sample crash lands and has to be temporarily stored in a laboratory, where a lone safety engineer has his own particular doubts? The film deals with two phenomena that have supposedly faded into the background again since the end of the pandemic, and yet are more topical than ever in view of the climate crisis and populism: Scientific scepticism and conspiracy myths. "In Boxes" is a chamber play in which two protagonists are confronted with their different perceptions and world views in a very confined space. Both characters interpret reality in completely different ways, but the viewer only has the perspective of the main character, who is drawn deeper and deeper into his own dark reality. "In Boxes" traces the case of a conscientious man who capitulates to the complexity of the world - and loses himself in his own reality.

"In Boxes" is aimed at film fans in general, especially genre film fans, but also science fiction fans and of course space fans in general, who will get their money's worth here. At the same time, the film is exciting for anyone interested in the origins of conspiracy myths and science communication. It's also for anyone who wants to support the next generation of film-makers in their studies!

The first sceptics have already positioned themselves to prevent the arrival of the Mars samples on Earth. They don't trust safety and fear contamination of the earth. Fortunately, the pandemic is over, but what it has shown us is how important the connection between science and the general public is, and that effective science communication is crucial for a stable society. "Fake facts" represent a significant hurdle and, not least, a real threat to our democracy. I believe it is essential that we summon up the courage to deal with this issue in depth, including culturally.

However, genre films usually cannot do without elaborate set design and props, which are only rarely provided free of charge. We also shoot in special locations (e.g. hospitals, bunkers, laboratories), which involve expensive location hire because we have to shoot under supervision. Unfortunately, we can't shoot the film in Uncle Udo’s garage for free ;)