Contact is a 1997 science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis, with screenplay by James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg, based on the novel of the same name by Carl Sagan. The film stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, Matthew McConaughey as Palmer Joss, Tom Skerritt as David Drumlin, James Woods as Michael Kitz, John Hurt as S.R. Hadden, and Angela Bassett as Rachel Constantine.
The story follows the life of Dr. Ellie Arroway, a brilliant but isolated scientist who has devoted her life to finding evidence of extraterrestrial life. After years of searching, she finally discovers a signal from the star Vega that contains a message from an extraterrestrial intelligence. With the help of a team of scientists, Ellie decodes the message and learns that the aliens have sent plans for a machine that will allow humans to travel to their world.
Ellie's discovery is met with controversy and skepticism by many in the scientific and political communities. But despite the obstacles, Ellie is determined to build the machine and make contact with the aliens. She faces many challenges along the way, including sabotage from those who oppose her, and personal struggles with her own faith and the loss of her beloved father.
In the end, Ellie succeeds in building the machine and travels to the alien world, where she meets an extraterrestrial intelligence in the form of her deceased father. The aliens explain that they created the machine as a means of communicating with other intelligent species, and that they chose Ellie because of her persistence and determination. Ellie returns to Earth with a renewed sense of purpose, determined to continue her search for intelligent life in the universe.
Contact is a thought-provoking film that explores the intersection of science, faith, and the search for meaning in the universe. It is a beautiful and poignant story that challenges the viewer to examine their own beliefs and to consider the possibility of life beyond our own planet.