The Best Indie SFF Short Films & Web Series

The Best In Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Films, Web Series, and Othe Closely-Related Media

  • Featured
  • Explore
    • SFF Shorts, Web Series & More!
    • SFF Short Film Gallery
    • SFF Web Series Database
    • Our Favorite Web Sites
    • Our Favorite SFF Books (Via Bookshop.org)!
    • SFF Recommendations For Social Media Followers
  • SFF Film Guides
    • 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films
  • Podcast
  • ABOUT
    • About
    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Support
  • Privacy Policy

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: UFO Diary - During WWII, Women Military Officers Thwart An Alien Invasion

March 16, 2016 by Rod T. Faulkner in Short Film, Science Fiction

Just in time to celebrate Women's History Month, as well as the invaluable contributions made by women of the United States armed services during World War II,  the period sci-fi comedy short UFO Diary has been released.

The short is set three months after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States has just entered World War II, and for the first time in history women are allowed to serve in the U.S. military in roles other than in nursing.

On February 24, 1942, Captain Diana Ravello (Govindini Murty) and Lieutenant Margie Petrova (Rachel Newell) have been tasked by the Women's Army Corps (WAC) to create a film documenting the daily life of women soldiers on the Fort MacArthur army base in San Pedro, California.

As the two women go about filming, they make an unbelievable discovery that leads to them being instrumental in thwarting an alien invasion of Los Angeles.

Watch UFO Diary in its entirety here ...

UFO Diary is the new blockbuster sci-fi action-comedy short film about two WWII Army women who fight an alien invasion of LA. Featured in American Cinematographer and The Huffington Post, UFO Diary has VFX by ILM and Weta Digital artists and brings to life one of the most famous UFO incidents in history: the 1942 Great LA Air Raid. UFO Diary is directed by Folio Eddie Award-winner Jason Apuzzo, edited by Emmy Award-winner Mitch Danton, with VFX by Kiel Figgins (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Sean Dollins (Prometheus), Rini Sugianto (The Hunger Games), Antony Vannapho (The Twilight Saga), Delano Athias (Deadpool), Bren Wilson (Paradise Lost) and other artists. UFO Diary blends WWII-style combat cinematography with cutting-edge VFX, and recreates the look of Kodachrome 16mm film - as used in classic WWII color documentaries like John Ford's The Battle of Midway. As covered in American Cinematographer's article on the making of UFO Diary, the filmmakers achieved a unique blend of documentary-style footage and cutting-edge CGI through a painstaking process of 3D match-moving, compositing, and animation. Full details are discussed in the January 2016 American Cinematographer article on UFO Diary, which can be read here: American Cinematographer article on UFO Diary: nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0116/?ap=1#/16 In honor of Women's History Month this March 2016, UFO Diary also pays homage to the 150,000 women who served in the U.S. Army in WWII. The heroines of UFO Diary are two feisty Women's Army Corps officers (Govindini Murty and Rachel Newell) who overcome gender stereotypes to fight for their country in WWII. The creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in WWII marked the first time in American history that women could serve as anything other than nurses in the Army. The WACs carried out vital administrative and support duties during the war. Less well known is that WACs also flew planes in combat zones, were secretly trained on anti-aircraft batteries, were scientists, engineers, aerial reconnaissance photographers, truck mechanics, sheet metal workers, ordinance experts, and even scientists and engineers on the Manhattan Project. Much of this history was kept hidden in the 1940s due to fears that the public would not accept women being placed in combat zones or in "unfeminine" occupations. Yet working in these jobs is what gave many American women their first experience of professional life outside the home, laying the foundation for the modern women's movement. UFO Diary honors this history of women's service in WWII. UFO DIARY LOGLINE: Two Women's Army Corps officers in the early days of WWII fight an alien invasion of LA, becoming the unlikely heroines of one of the most famous UFO incidents in history. Written & Directed by Jason Apuzzo. Produced by & Starring Govindini Murty. Also Starring Rachel Newell. Please visit: facebook.com/ufodiary/ For more about Jason Apuzzo, please visit: vimeo.com/jasonapuzzo For business/media inquiries, please contact: japuzzo"at"cox.net

Creator and director Jason Apuzzo was inspired to make the film by an actual historical event that is also one of the most mysterious occurrences of the second world war, the Battle Of Los Angeles a.k.a. The Great Los Angeles Air Raid.

Apuzzo and his production team went to extraordinary lengths in recreating the look and feel of classic John Ford World War II films, while seamlessly integrating the latest in 3D and CGI visual effects.

The result is a marvelous conflation of real-world history with an audacious science fiction narrative.

However, UFO Diary's greatest achievement is its laudable tribute to the courageous women who served in the United States armed forces during the most pivotal military conflict in world history.


Get your digital copy of our ebook 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films. Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding science fiction and genre web shorts on any screen of your choice.

Your support enables the site to operate independently and remain AD-FREE.

March 16, 2016 /Rod T. Faulkner
UFO Diary sci-fi short film, UFO diary Jason Apuzzo, Battle Of Los Angeles, Great Los Angeles Air Raid
Short Film, Science Fiction

 

The 7th Matrix © 2013 - 2025 Roderick T Faulkner