Contact

Synopsis

Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), an astrophysicist specializing in searching for extraterrestrial signals through the SETI program, devotes her life to "listening" to the universe.

As the project's funding is threatened, she receives support from a patron, S. R. Hadden, to continue her research. A few years later, Ellie detects a signal from the star Vega, containing a sequence of prime numbers — possible proof of an intelligent civilization.

The message includes images, technical plans, and directs Ellie toward a mysterious machine that she will use to attempt first contact.

During this journey, she experiences an intense personal moment: a strange landscape is presented to her, she converses with an entity taking the form of her deceased father, then is brought back to Earth. Officially, the recording of the capsule shows only static noise, questioning the veracity of her testimony.