A gay dwarf and an alien-obsessed street worker go on a road trip and… Let’s stop right there. Unidentified Objects will surely capture your attention for that inventive premise, but chances are you’ll be more moved by how this sparkling indie film manages to create a compelling narrative with two characters audiences don’t often see on the big screen.
Director Juan Felipe Zuleta co-wrote this amusing and often deeply emotional film with Leland Frankel, and the duo were showered in praise during their film fest run. Unidentified Objects nabbed the 2022 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance for Matthew Jeffers, in fact. Speaking of…
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Jeffers teams with Golden Globe nominee Sarah Hay (Flesh and Bone) here. As Peter and Winona respectively, the duo plays New York City neighbors and unlikely friends in an engaging and thought-provoking road trip film that isn’t afraid to dive deep into and poke fun at human eccentricities.
Let’s Hit the Road
Quiver Distribution
Unidentified Objects is Juan Felipe Zuleta’s directorial debut. Culling from influences like Alfonso Cuarón (Roma, Y Tu Mamá También) and David Lynch (Blue Velvet), he offers a refreshingly insightful look at people and their heartaches, desires, quirky predilections, and hopes — shattered and then some. In addition to Hay and Jeffers, Roberta Colindrez, Tara Pacheco, and Kerry Flanagan co-star.
The story follows Peter, an uptight gay dwarf who’s sheltered himself in his New York City apartment. Peter mourns the death of a close friend and would rather not be taken away from his grief. Naturally, he’s taken aback when Winona, his free-spirited, alien-believing neighbor, shows up at his door and asks to borrow a car. Why?
Related: Exclusive: Unidentified Objects Filmmaker Juan Felipe Zuleta on His Groundbreaking Indie Hit
Well, Winona is convinced that the extraterrestrials who “abducted” her when she was 15 are heading back to Earth, and Winona really wants to recapture that moment, hoping to meet those space folk wherever they are. Better than being a street worker to get some cash. That’s what we’re led to believe. Peter — as smart as he is snarky — wants no part of Winona’s crazy idea, but he agrees to go on the road trip with her to the Canadian wilderness where, hopefully for this gal at least, another alien visitation will occur. He seems to only indulge Winona’s idea because he himself is cash strapped.
With the specific alien “visitation” site set, the duo head north and get to know each other along the way. Winona is cheery and hopeful. Peter not so much. This is an oddball pairing to be sure, but that makes for good comedy, however quirky. On the trip, the duo encounter bickering lesbian cosplayers, shroom-happy adventurers, and a few “extraterrestrial” freeway police. There’s a particularly enchanting and deeply affecting sequence when, during an overnight motel stop, Peter meets a tall handsome stranger in a bar; how that plays out, and how Zuleta wrote and directed it, truly stands out. It’s both touching and tragic.
Sarah Hay and Matthew Jeffers Shine
Quiver Distribution
Unidentified Objects, which definitely has that indie film vibe, shines for many reasons. Sarah Hay and Matthew Jeffers — remarkable in every way — elevate the movie, giving audiences quirky yet compelling characters you can’t help but care about and root for. Jeffers, in particular stands out. The star of the hit show, New Amsterdam, infuses Peter with a rare appeal we don’t often see in characters. There’s a bright light underneath the trauma Peter is buried under and when it does peak through, Jeffers captures those moments with richness and depth. We want to know more about Peter, despite the fact that he wears his torment boldly on his heart sleeve.
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Hay is a delight. Bubbly and passionate, she lures you into Winona’s whacky ways, which, whittled down, aren’t all that out there at all. There’s a deeply esoteric bent to the character and the idea that there’s something else “out there” and, perhaps, “in here,” where our most precious sense of self and belong dwells. Hay nails that, and it’s a joy to watch these two characters spar, only to realize they’re more alike than they originally thought.
While some aspects of the script seem overdrawn and others seemed placed in for effect, none of it weighs down the offering. Zuleta presents us with two characters, whose one-of-a-kind bond give them rare moments of reflection to consider their own oppression. And if Winona’s far-fetched idea seems like a fantasy, how is it more so than believing we are alone in this earthly plane? Surely Peter and Winona’s connection proves that maybe we’re not.
It’s also great to see the director’s visual presentation and choice of sound and music — he’s brought along older brother Sebastian Zuleta, an award-winning composer, along for this trip. And it’s a worthy trip to take. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Unidentified Objects, from Quiver Distribution, opens June 2 in theaters and June 9 on VOD.
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