Related post: Kat Cunning Leads in Star People, a New Sci-Fi Feature Inspired by the Phoenix Lights

Star People — A Meditative Sci-Fi Mystery Rooted in Memory and Mystery

“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.” — Rumi

Star People opens with this evocative quote, setting the tone for a film that’s as much about the cosmos as it is about the human soul. Inspired by the real-life Phoenix Lights event of March 13, 1997—the largest mass UFO sighting in U.S. history—the film follows Claire, who was just 10 years old when she first saw the lights. To her, it felt as if they were calling to her.

Now a photographer haunted by that childhood encounter, Claire receives a mysterious tip that pulls her back into the Arizona desert during a deadly heatwave. Accompanied by her UFO-streamer boyfriend and her troubled brother, the journey soon takes an unexpected turn when they cross paths with a vulnerable immigrant family, complicating Claire’s mission.

The film is a haunting and atmospheric blend of personal trauma and cosmic intrigue. As the desert heat intensifies, so does Claire’s obsession. The cinematography captures sun-bleached landscapes and eerie night skies, while a subtle, pulsing score heightens the sense of isolation and internal unraveling.

Claire’s story is both literal and psychological. Since the day of the Phoenix Lights, she’s lived with epilepsy—leaving the audience to question whether her visions are the result of extraterrestrial contact or something far more earthly. Her journey brings her face to face with locals, fringe believers, and surreal events that blur the line between memory, delusion, and reality.

The film unfolds in a non-linear narrative, revisiting fragments of Claire’s childhood as she searches for meaning, both on the ground and among the stars. The oppressive heat almost becomes a character in itself—distorting time, warping perception, and deepening the mystery.

In the end, Star People is not a conventional alien film. It doesn’t offer clear answers. Instead, it embraces ambiguity, exploring themes of grief, identity, and our need to connect with something larger than ourselves. Quietly gripping and deeply introspective, this is a sci-fi experience for viewers who appreciate mystery, emotion, and cosmic wonder over spectacle.

*Thank you to Emma Griffiths PR for the screener link for review consideration. I have not been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Adam Finberg’s Star People, opens in theaters July 25, with a VOD release to follow nationwide on all major platforms on August 12.

Updated Theaters:

July 25
-Cinema Village (New York)
-Harkins Theatres Arrowhead (Peoria)
-Harkins Theatres Fashion Center 20 (Chandler)
-Harkins Theatres Shea (Scottsdale)
-Harkins Theatres Superstition Springs (Mesa)

August 8
-Laemmle Royal (Los Angeles)

August 12
VOD release nationwide on all major platforms (Apple, Amazon and many more)