PROXIMA
Encyclopedia
PROXIMA is a Spanish
underground
science fiction film
, written and directed by Carlos Atanes
, and co-produced by FORTKNOX Audiovisual and Ciberpsique Audiovisual, in collaboration with the University of Huelva
and the 3 de Marzo Alumni Association of the University of Huelva.
video store bordering on bankruptcy; his relationship with Natalia (Karen Owens) is getting worse as time goes by, because their interests have diverged. One day, Tony goes to a science fiction convention
where a well-known writer Félix Cadecq's (Manuel Solàs) comes to give a chat on his latest work. When he starts his speech, the writer makes a surprising declaration: it's worthless to keep writing science fiction novels, because he has found a new portal; a real and simple way to reach the stars. "Listen to my new CD-book and try it yourself", he proclaims. This announcement is not well received among his estranged fans; but Tony, touched by curiosity, buys Cadecq's CD in order to test what he said.
From that moment on, Tony's life will never be the same. He feels bizarre sensations, he gets to know surprising people who assure him they know the way to escape from the alien
fleet coming to Earth. Finally, Tony starts a trip heading to the star Proxima Centauri
, but what he finds there is not exactly what he had expected.
, as director
of the piece and author of the screenplay
. His first film, FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
was also in the science fiction genre, an unusual genre in the Spanish film industry.
The film was shot in digital video
(HDV
, coloured, 116'), his usual medium, and had Joan Babiloni (A.E.C.) as the director of photography. The filming took around two months. Locations ranged between Catalonia
and Andalusia
, above all in the Catalan
provinces of Barcelona and Lleida and the Andalusia
n Huelva. Tony's real-life scenes, such as his DVD-video store's closure or his encounterg with The Messenger (played by famous mentalist
Anthony Blake) at El Invernal (a little hermitage in Lleida) take place in the two Catalan provinces. The extraterrestrial sequences were shot in the province of Huelva. The recreation of the planet that is orbiting Proxima took place in Corta Atalaya
, an open-pit mine at Riotinto in the Aracena
mountains, one of the biggest and most ancient mines in the world (and Europe's largest open-pit mine), whose main shaft, flooded by an acid lake in its deepest part and measuring 1200 metres (3,937 ft) in diameter, becomes a singular and spectacular location.
line, the contact with an alien civilisation (and the impact that this would cause), the presence of a discouraging future to escape from, the trip to an unknown world, the relationship between dream and reality, brainwashing, etc. In addition to all this, we can find a new perspective, which stains with a harsh realism Tony's experiences on the satellite orbiting Proxima, as close to a western
as a sidereal trip.
The film (very Dick-ian
according to some American reviewers) also includes several references addressed to the experts in this sort of genre. An example of this kind of wink is the scene where Félix Cadecq (Spanish pronunciation of his name resembles clearly the way in Spanish is pronounced "Philip K. Dick") makes his announcement that he is quitting literature and that he has found a new portal, reminiscent of a real anecdote carried out by Philip K. Dick
at a French science fiction congress in 1977. (Among Dick's works were The Man in the High Castle
, The Golden Man
, The Minority Report and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
, the last of them the source of the plot of Blade Runner
.)
But there are also references to such great science fiction directors as Georges Méliès
and Segundo de Chomón
, whose films Tony especially admires. We cannot either forget the risen controversy between the Star Wars
and Star Trek
s fans, who discuss about Sci-Fi real bases..
composer, and Thee Maldoror Kollective, lyrical-industrial rock band from Turin
, were in charge of the composition and the interpretation of PROXIMA’s music. Manolo Tena, is added to the original soundtrack, with his song El único habitante de la Luna (The only inhabitant of the Moon) for the film's final credits PROXIMAs soundtrack stands out for the unique style that its composers stamped on.
From an aesthetic and sensory point of view, we can observe that (in its density and instrumental treatment) music runs in parallel with the film. So, in the first part, the sonority of the metallic percussion instruments -such as, vibrating battery or iron bars- and different patch instruments (in the orchestrations for strings, bronzes, distorted guitars, synthesizers...) takes presence over others, giving us a worldly feeling. As the films advances and the main character gets involved in a sidereal world, music gets more and more weightless, thanks to strings and the lyrical voices of mezzo and soprano singers.
Halfway through 2007, record company Foreshadow Productions, published Themes from PROXIMA, a CD including the six pieces (in their full versions), composed and interpreted by Three Maldoror Kollective for the film.
, and in general, with the entire previous director's filmography, PROXIMA’s reception in festivals and the critics has been more enthusiastic abroad than in Spain. Proximas première was at the Oporto International Film Festival (Fantasporto
2007) was outside of the competition for prizes at that festival, the day before its special screening at the Casa Colón in Huelva. Since then, PROXIMA has been selected to participate in different Sci-Fi film festivals, like:
Since June 30, 2008, the film DVD subtitled in English, has be available through PROXIMAs web page, in a special edition that includes the documentary Made in PROXIMA, two extras, and trailers of Carlos Atanes' filmography. It is expected to be distributed through different platforms in the United States
.
Cinema of Spain
The art of motion-picture making within the nation of Spain or by Spanish filmmakers abroad is collectively known as Spanish Cinema.In recent years, Spanish cinema has achieved high marks of recognition as a result of its creative and technical excellence...
underground
Underground film
An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style, genre, or financing.-Definition and history:The first use of the term "underground film" occurs in a 1957 essay by American film critic Manny Farber, "Underground Films." Farber uses it to refer to the work of...
science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
, written and directed by Carlos Atanes
Carlos Atanes
Carlos Atanes is a Spanish film director and writer.Born in Barcelona, Spain, Atanes has written and directed many works since 1987, using different genres and techniques . In 1991, he shot The Marvellous World of the Cucu Bird, which has been followed by another experimental works as El Tenor...
, and co-produced by FORTKNOX Audiovisual and Ciberpsique Audiovisual, in collaboration with the University of Huelva
University of Huelva
The University of Huelva a public university in Huelva, Spain.-Faculties:* Polytechnic School* School of Nursing* School of Social Work* Faculty of Education* Faculty of Labour Sciences* Faculty of Business Sciences* Faculty of Experimental Sciences...
and the 3 de Marzo Alumni Association of the University of Huelva.
Synopsis
Tony (Oriol Aubets), who is PROXIMAs main character, runs a small science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
video store bordering on bankruptcy; his relationship with Natalia (Karen Owens) is getting worse as time goes by, because their interests have diverged. One day, Tony goes to a science fiction convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
where a well-known writer Félix Cadecq's (Manuel Solàs) comes to give a chat on his latest work. When he starts his speech, the writer makes a surprising declaration: it's worthless to keep writing science fiction novels, because he has found a new portal; a real and simple way to reach the stars. "Listen to my new CD-book and try it yourself", he proclaims. This announcement is not well received among his estranged fans; but Tony, touched by curiosity, buys Cadecq's CD in order to test what he said.
From that moment on, Tony's life will never be the same. He feels bizarre sensations, he gets to know surprising people who assure him they know the way to escape from the alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
fleet coming to Earth. Finally, Tony starts a trip heading to the star Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star about 4.2 light-years distant in the constellation of Centaurus. It was discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes, the Director of the Union Observatory in South Africa, and is the nearest known star to the Sun, although it is too faint to be seen with the naked eye...
, but what he finds there is not exactly what he had expected.
Production
PROXIMA is a FortKnox Audiovisual and Ciberpsique Audiovisual co-production, in collaboration with the University of Huelva and the 3 de marzo Alumni Association of the University of Huelva. It is the second feature film by Carlos AtanesCarlos Atanes
Carlos Atanes is a Spanish film director and writer.Born in Barcelona, Spain, Atanes has written and directed many works since 1987, using different genres and techniques . In 1991, he shot The Marvellous World of the Cucu Bird, which has been followed by another experimental works as El Tenor...
, as director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of the piece and author of the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
. His first film, FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions is a feature-length dystopia movie, written and directed by Carlos Atanes and released in 2004.-Plot:France, sometime in the near future. The Sisterhood of Metacontrol governs Europe. Angeline, an exemplary and irreproachable citizen has just joined the Order.....
was also in the science fiction genre, an unusual genre in the Spanish film industry.
The film was shot in digital video
Digital video
Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...
(HDV
HDV
HDV is a format for recording of high-definition video on DV cassette tape. The format was originally developed by JVC and supported by Sony, Canon and Sharp...
, coloured, 116'), his usual medium, and had Joan Babiloni (A.E.C.) as the director of photography. The filming took around two months. Locations ranged between Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, above all in the Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
provinces of Barcelona and Lleida and the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n Huelva. Tony's real-life scenes, such as his DVD-video store's closure or his encounterg with The Messenger (played by famous mentalist
Mentalism
Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may appear to include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid...
Anthony Blake) at El Invernal (a little hermitage in Lleida) take place in the two Catalan provinces. The extraterrestrial sequences were shot in the province of Huelva. The recreation of the planet that is orbiting Proxima took place in Corta Atalaya
Corta Atalaya
Corta Atalaya is the largest open-pit mine in Europe and was at one time the largest in the world. It is located within the city limits of Minas de Riotinto in the province of Huelva, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It is roughly elliptical in shape, long, wide, and deep. It was one of...
, an open-pit mine at Riotinto in the Aracena
Aracena
Aracena is a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva, south-western Spain. , the city has a population of 7,612 inhabitants.-Main sights:...
mountains, one of the biggest and most ancient mines in the world (and Europe's largest open-pit mine), whose main shaft, flooded by an acid lake in its deepest part and measuring 1200 metres (3,937 ft) in diameter, becomes a singular and spectacular location.
Subjects
PROXIMAs plot starts through the vision of a science fiction lover, by whom we're introduced into classic science fiction topics: the possibility of crossing the spacetimeSpacetime
In physics, spacetime is any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single continuum. Spacetime is usually interpreted with space as being three-dimensional and time playing the role of a fourth dimension that is of a different sort from the spatial dimensions...
line, the contact with an alien civilisation (and the impact that this would cause), the presence of a discouraging future to escape from, the trip to an unknown world, the relationship between dream and reality, brainwashing, etc. In addition to all this, we can find a new perspective, which stains with a harsh realism Tony's experiences on the satellite orbiting Proxima, as close to a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
as a sidereal trip.
The film (very Dick-ian
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
according to some American reviewers) also includes several references addressed to the experts in this sort of genre. An example of this kind of wink is the scene where Félix Cadecq (Spanish pronunciation of his name resembles clearly the way in Spanish is pronounced "Philip K. Dick") makes his announcement that he is quitting literature and that he has found a new portal, reminiscent of a real anecdote carried out by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
at a French science fiction congress in 1977. (Among Dick's works were The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle is a science fiction alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. It won a Hugo Award in 1963 and has since been translated into many languages....
, The Golden Man
The Golden Man
"The Golden Man" is an 11600-word science fiction novelette by Philip K. Dick. It was received by the Scott Meredith Literary Agency on June 24, 1953, and first published in the April 1954 issue of If magazine. The story was illustrated by Kelly Freas in its original publication...
, The Minority Report and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick first published in 1968. The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter of androids, while the secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-normal intelligence who befriends some of the...
, the last of them the source of the plot of Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
.)
But there are also references to such great science fiction directors as Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
and Segundo de Chomón
Segundo de Chomón
Segundo Víctor Aurelio Chomón y Ruiz was a pioneering Spanish film director. He produced many short films in France while working for Pathé Frères and has been compared to Georges Méliès, due to his frequent camera tricks and optical illusions.-Selected filmography:*1902: Choque de trenes,...
, whose films Tony especially admires. We cannot either forget the risen controversy between the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
s fans, who discuss about Sci-Fi real bases..
Cast
PROXIMA has an enormous cast. More than two hundred extras participated in its shooting, as we can see in the Planet scenes and those that take place in the science fiction convention. The most important characters are the following:- Oriol Aubets - Tony
- Anthony Blake - The Messenger
- Manuel Solàs - Felix Cadecq
- Abel Folk - Nestor
- Hans Richter - Gabriel
- Joan Frank Charansonnet - Lucas
- Karen Owens - Natalia
- Manuel Masera - Goknur
- Beatriz Urzáiz – Ío
- Quim Castellà - Teo
- Arantxa Peña – Susi
- Enric Cervera – Ricardo
- Alfonso Merelo – Head of the Congress
- Ernest Mascort – DVD-Video store client
- Antonio Aroca – DVD-Video store client
- Paloma Merchan - DVD-Video store client
Soundtrack
Xavier Tort, BarcelonianBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
composer, and Thee Maldoror Kollective, lyrical-industrial rock band from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, were in charge of the composition and the interpretation of PROXIMA’s music. Manolo Tena, is added to the original soundtrack, with his song El único habitante de la Luna (The only inhabitant of the Moon) for the film's final credits PROXIMAs soundtrack stands out for the unique style that its composers stamped on.
From an aesthetic and sensory point of view, we can observe that (in its density and instrumental treatment) music runs in parallel with the film. So, in the first part, the sonority of the metallic percussion instruments -such as, vibrating battery or iron bars- and different patch instruments (in the orchestrations for strings, bronzes, distorted guitars, synthesizers...) takes presence over others, giving us a worldly feeling. As the films advances and the main character gets involved in a sidereal world, music gets more and more weightless, thanks to strings and the lyrical voices of mezzo and soprano singers.
Halfway through 2007, record company Foreshadow Productions, published Themes from PROXIMA, a CD including the six pieces (in their full versions), composed and interpreted by Three Maldoror Kollective for the film.
Reception
As it had happened with FAQ: Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions is a feature-length dystopia movie, written and directed by Carlos Atanes and released in 2004.-Plot:France, sometime in the near future. The Sisterhood of Metacontrol governs Europe. Angeline, an exemplary and irreproachable citizen has just joined the Order.....
, and in general, with the entire previous director's filmography, PROXIMA’s reception in festivals and the critics has been more enthusiastic abroad than in Spain. Proximas première was at the Oporto International Film Festival (Fantasporto
Fantasporto
Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to commercial feature films, auteur films and experimental projects from all over the world, Fantasporto has created enthusiastic audiences, ranging from...
2007) was outside of the competition for prizes at that festival, the day before its special screening at the Casa Colón in Huelva. Since then, PROXIMA has been selected to participate in different Sci-Fi film festivals, like:
- Sci-Fi-LondonSci-Fi-LondonSCI-FI-LONDON , is a UK based film festival, dedicated to the science fiction and fantasy genres, which began in 2002.-About the Festival:...
(London, International Festival of Sci-Fi and Fantastic Film) - Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre, International Fantastic Film Festival
- Tel Aviv ICon festivalICon festivalICon is an Israeli Science Fiction and Fantasy fan convention held annually in the Tel Aviv Cinemateque during the Sukkot holiday. The name ICon is a shortening of the phrase Israeli Convention. The first ICon was held in 1998 and was presented as a convention...
(nominated for the Icon Award) - Montevideo Fantástico (Uruguay)
- Hispacón, Spanish Sci-Fi Convention, Spain (nominated for the Ignotus Award to the Best Film 2008, Spanish Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Association)
- EuroconEuroconEurocon is an annual science fiction convention held in Europe. The organising committee of each Eurocon is selected by vote of the participants of the previous event. The procedure is coordinated by the European Science Fiction Society. The first Eurocon was held in Trieste, Italy, in 1972. Unlike...
, European Sci-Fi Convention, Copenhagen, Denmark - Planet AntPlanet AntPlanet Ant is a non-profit artist community housed in a three-story tenement in Hamtramck, Michigan. The community has several branches, including a record label, a theatre company, an improv colony and a film production company....
Film & Video Festival, "Detroit's Independent Film Festival"
Since June 30, 2008, the film DVD subtitled in English, has be available through PROXIMAs web page, in a special edition that includes the documentary Made in PROXIMA, two extras, and trailers of Carlos Atanes' filmography. It is expected to be distributed through different platforms in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Documentaries
Made in PROXIMA (a Sci-Fi filming) is a making off documentary filled with the experiences, comments and opinions of part of the cast (Oriol Aubets, Karen Owens, Manuel Solàs, Joan Frank Charansonnet, Manuel Masera, Arantxa Peña) and crew (director, producers and the musician Xavier Tort) in the independent shooting of the film. It's a 52', digital video documentary, free available at internet in Spanish, with English subtitles.Cultural references
- Félix Cadecq's book titles The second lie and The time of Venus are related to Philip K. Dick's novels The Penultimate TruthThe Penultimate TruthThe Penultimate Truth is a 1964 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. The story is set in a future where the bulk of humanity is kept in large underground shelters. The people are told that World War III is being fought above them, when in reality the war ended years ago. The...
and Martian Time-SlipMartian Time-SlipMartian Time-Slip is a 1964 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick. The novel uses the common science fiction concept of a human colony on Mars...
. - Cadecq's sequence at the Sci-Fi convention is freely inspired in the scandalous appearance of Philip K. Dick at the MetzMetzMetz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
Convention, France, on September 24, 1977. - WARPWarp drive (Star Trek)Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
factor is the unity for Curvature Speed used in the Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
s fictional world, where WARP 1 factor equals light speed and 9,975 WARP factor, means 902.519 times light speed. Supposedly, WARP 10 is unattainable, and that's the main argument between the Sci-Fi lovers at the DVD-Video store sequence. - It's a pity he cannot live, but who does? is a quotation from Blade Runner.
- Tony's conversation with The Messenger about the invisible suit is a clear reference to Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
's tale The Emperor's New ClothesThe Emperor's New Clothes"The Emperor's New Clothes" is a short tale by Hans Christian Andersen about two weavers who promise an Emperor a new suit of clothes that is invisible to those unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent...
. - Tony's commentary about the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma RocketVariable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocketThe Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket is an electro-magnetic thruster for spacecraft propulsion. It uses radio waves to ionize and heat a propellant and magnetic fields to accelerate the resulting plasma to generate thrust...
, developed by Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, refers to the known motor VASIMIR, invented by a homonymous American astronaut and which was capable of surpassing today's spacecrafts speed. - Tony and Néstor, the psychiatrist, mention quite a few times brainwashing, a mental control technique, frequently used by 20th Century totalitarianTotalitarianismTotalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
regimes and applied on numerous occasions (and, usually, in an illegal way) to the reprogramation for liberated patients of coercive sects. - On his second outer spaceOuter spaceOuter space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
trip, Tony sets ashore IoIo (moon)Io ) is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of the planet Jupiter and, with a diameter of , the fourth-largest moon in the Solar System. It was named after the mythological character of Io, a priestess of Hera who became one of the lovers of Zeus....
, one of the four biggest satellites of JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
. IoIo (mythology)Io was, in Greek mythology, a priestess of Hera in Argos, a nymph who was seduced by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer to escape detection. His wife Hera set ever-watchful Argus Panoptes to guard her, but Hermes was sent to distract the guardian and slay him...
, gives name to one ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
' lover in Greek mythology and to a mysterious alien character from PROXIMA, too. - Komarov, the old Russian astronaut, is based on Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov, an Air Soviet Colonel who died inside the capsule Soyuz 1Soyuz 1Soyuz 1 was a manned spaceflight of the Soviet space program. Launched into orbit on April 23, 1967 carrying cosmonaut Colonel Vladimir Komarov, Soyuz 1 was the first flight of the Soyuz spacecraft...
when it crashed on Earth, due to an error in the parachute opening system. - Goknur, the CappadociaCappadociaCappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
n, practices the dervishDervishA Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
es' turning, characteristic in MevleviMevleviThe Mevlevi Order, or the Mevlevilik or Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded in Konya by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian. They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form...
s', or Whirling Turkish Dervishes, who use this physical method in order to get in tranceTranceTrance denotes a variety of processes, ecstasy, techniques, modalities and states of mind, awareness and consciousness. Trance states may occur involuntarily and unbidden.The term trance may be associated with meditation, magic, flow, and prayer...
and reach religious ecstasy. - Tony shows Goknur an autographed picture of Jean-Luc Picard, captain in the series Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, interpreted by the British actor Patrick StewartPatrick StewartSir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
. - The musical theme in the final credits had been composed and played by Manolo Tena before the film was even conceived, but it had remained unpublished until then. Tena loaned the song to the producers when he saw that the lyrics perfectly matched with PROXIMAs argument.