Following the Sundance Film Festival screenings of Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant, producer Alix Whittaker and directors THUNDERLIPS bring an insider’s perspective on navigating one of cinema’s most artistically influential festivals. Together, they unpack the realities of strategic preparation, selection, and on-the-ground participation at Sundance. Umbrella Entertainment joins the conversation from a distributor’s viewpoint, offering insight into how films are positioned, discovered, and sustained beyond their premiere. Collectively, the panel examines the evolving role of festivals in an era shaped by streaming platforms, fragmented audiences, algorithmic discovery, and emerging storytelling forms.
Garnering a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes thus far, Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant marks an astonishing debut from a New Zealand team with clear global talent. This session offers a rare, candid look at how bold creative work cuts through internationally, making it essential for filmmakers, producers, and screen practitioners seeking to understand how festivals can still launch careers, shape conversations, and open doors in a rapidly changing screen landscape.
“On its surface, Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant plays like an outrageous midnight movie, rich in wild jokes, gross-out gags, and racy sci-fi spectacle. But beneath that, THUNDERLIPS has built a compelling mother-daughter tale that empathetically probes the choice to be child-free. So, if you see this for the unapologetically unhinged comedy, you won’t be disappointed. But you might walk away with some refreshing representation and weirdly prepared food for thought as well.”
– Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor, Mashable
Tuesday 24 February 2024
6:00 – Arrivals
6:30-7:30pm – Kōrero
7:30-8:30pm – Refreshments and socialising
$6.50 + GST + Booking Fee. Sales via Humanitix to secure your seat
Where: St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland
After the talk, stay and have pizza on Script to Screen. There will be socialising with fellow filmmakers.
This Script to Screen KŌRERO is made possible thanks to New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, White Studios and Images and Sound.
ABOUT ALIX WHITTAKER
Alix Whittaker is an Auckland-based film producer and founder of Candlelit Pictures, with over a decade of experience across feature films, short films and music videos. She has produced award-winning music videos and supported emerging directors through a strong focus on story-driven, director-led work. Her feature credits include Mega Time Squad and Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant, which premiered at Sundance to positive reviews. Alix is an alumna of the NZ Film Commission’s A-Z Producing Course and is known for championing distinctive voices and ambitious independent filmmaking in Aotearoa.
ABOUT THUNDERLIPS
THUNDERLIPS is born of image-crazed uber-men Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor, a multi-award-winning image-making duo based in Auckland, New Zealand. Genre chameleons by nature, they’ve created work spanning 90s sitcom pastiche, GIF-only teen romance, queer cinéma vérité, 80s teen horror, and animated digital fever dreams, shooting across formats from 35mm to Hi-8 and favouring practical in-camera effects. Their commercial work for brands including Lotto, Samsung, Meridian Energy and 2Degrees showcases sharp narrative instincts and comic flair. Their films include acclaimed shorts Think We Might Have to Do Something (48HFP Grand Finals, 2013) and Lord Echo – Molten Lava. Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant is their feature film debut.
ABOUT UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT
Umbrella Entertainment is an independent Australian film distributor specialising in bold, distinctive, and culturally significant cinema. With a catalogue spanning contemporary features, cult classics, restorations, and genre-defying work, Umbrella has built a reputation for championing filmmaker-driven stories that resonate with passionate audiences. Operating across theatrical, home entertainment, and digital platforms, the company is known for its strong curatorial voice, creative marketing strategies, and commitment to giving films a long life beyond their initial release. Umbrella plays a key role in connecting ambitious local and international films with audiences in Australia, New Zealand, and beyond.
