Credits
Distributed by
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Production companies
Verisimilitude
WeWork Studios
Bersin Pictures
Penny Jane Films
Directed by
Mike Cahill
Written by
Mike Cahill
Produced by
Mike Cahill
Hunter Gray
Alex Orlovsky
Cinematography
Markus Forderer
Edited by
Mike Cahill
Music by
Will Bates
Phil Mossman
Synopsis
A Ph.D. student, Ian Gray, is researching the evolution of the eye with research partner, Kenny, and first-year lab assistant, Karen. At a Halloween party Gray encounters Sofi, a young woman masked with only hazel-speckled, ash-blue eyes visible. She later leads him into the washroom before abruptly leaving. Mysterious synchronicities, like the recurring number 11, guide Gray to a billboard on which he recognizes Sofi's eyes. Eventually he sees her on a train. They begin a relationship although his rationalism clashes with her fey spirituality. One day they spontaneously agree to marry but must wait a day for a license. Disappointed, they walk out of the registry office. Ian gets a call from Karen. She has found a blind worm-Eisenia fetida-with the DNA necessary to develop an eye. Ian takes Sofi to the lab with him. Ian goes to India to find the subject of this scan, an orphan girl named Salomina. With help from Priya Varma, he spends weeks searching and putting up billboards. Eventually he finds the little girl staring at the billboard. He takes Salomina back to his hotel and contacts Karen over Skype. The two of them conduct a simple test designed to reveal if Salomina might be somehow linked with Sofi's memories. The results match the probable range of random chance, with a 44% success score. Feeling somewhat disheartened, Ian intends to take Salomina to Priya. But when they reach the elevator, the moment the doors open Salomina panics and throws herself into his arms, too frightened to enter. Staring into each other's eyes with a certain recognition, they then cling to each other, tears streaming down both their faces. He picks her up and takes her down the stairs instead, with Salomina tightly gripping his neck, till they walk from the dark interior and step out into the light. A post-credits scene shows Dr. Simmons scanning the irises of famous deceased figures finding many such matches