A four-foot-tall creature with brown, oily skin. Large, ovate, red eyes that sit on a bulbous head. Three long toes on each foot. The being’s presence suffused with the smell of ammonia. This is the description of extraterrestrials given to filmmaker and Bolinas native James Fox in his new documentary, “Moment of Contact,” which was released last month. Mr. Fox, who has appeared on programs like The History Channel and the Joe Rogan Experience, spoke at a screening of the film last Friday at the Bolinas Community Center, where locals got an in-depth look at a paranormal event that took place in the southern Brazilian city of Varginha in 1996. Though the incident was significant to ufological communities around the world, the only mainstream American media outlet to cover it was the Wall Street Journal, which ran an article titled “Tale of Stinky Extraterrestrials Stirs Up UFO Crowd in Brazil.” “Moment of Contact” features exclusive interviews with residents who witnessed the spaceship, others who encountered at least two extraterrestrials, medical staff who performed X-rays on one of the creatures and Brazilian military personnel who took part in the capture and eventual transfer of the alien materials to the United States military. “I can’t think of a more significant story in modern history,” said Mr. Fox, who has directed four other extraterrestrial documentaries. Addressing the audience across a large obelisk last week, he spoke about the overwhelming evidence contained in the film. Mr. Fox, who moved from Bolinas to Vermont last year, traveled to Varginha to explore the event.  His crew of cameramen and translators created a timeline of events, starting with an interview of Carlos De Sousa, a pilot who, while driving from São Paolo on his way to Minas Gerais, witnessed a cigar-like aircraft losing altitude overhead. Mr. De Sousa saw the craft crash and pulled over to investigate. He is one of nearly a dozen people who described the potent smell of ammonia coming from either the alien or its craft. In Varginha, a family said that a red light pouring through their kitchen blinds prompted them to walk outside, where they saw a whirling craft spilling smoke as it hovered above their home for 15 minutes. Mr. Fox believes this sighting happened in the hours leading up to the crash. Days later, three young women recalled seeing a small, fearful creature crouching beside a stone wall on a vacant lot on their walk home. Following the sightings, a rare military presence cast fear over the city. Local military policeman Marco Cherese died mysteriously less than a day after capturing one of the creatures. Doctors and military personnel told Mr. Fox about their contact with the extraterrestrial, whose scent of ammonia was so strong that it stuck in their nostrils for weeks. Mr. Fox said it took nearly a decade to track down the military and medical staff and convince them to speak on camera. Compared to Mr. Fox’s previous documentaries, which are narrated by Peter Coyote, “Moment of Contact” has Mr. Fox playing a primary role, involved in every interview and bringing the viewer along with him on his journey. “What’s interesting about James’s documentaries is he’s not trying to convince you to be a believer,” Bolinas resident Tony Onorato said. “He gives you evidence that clearly comes from a ton of research, and lets you make your own judgments. What we saw tonight was another incredible example of one of his films and the Bolinas community coming out to show support.” Petaluma resident Adam Cohen, who attended the screening, said the many accounts of the event from different people made it “hard not to believe.” His stepfather Wayne Bolsen, a Bolinas resident, was less impressed. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said. When the film ended and only the skeletal crusts of homemade vegan pizza remained, one man jumped to the piano, trying his best to remember the theme to “The Twilight Zone” as residents filed out into a brisk Bolinas evening, looking up at the stars. To watch “Moment of Contact,” go to https://geni.us/MomentOfContact.