UFOs, Trauma, and Truth: Peter Cilella on His Debut Feature Descendent

In this episode, I chat with writer and director Peter Cilella to explore his haunting and intimate debut feature, Descendent—a fresh and emotionally charged take on the UFO abduction narrative.

The film follows Sean Bruner (played by Ross Marquand) and his wife Andrea (Sarah Bulger) as they prepare for the arrival of their first child. But when Sean blacks out after witnessing a mysterious light during a late-night security shift, he awakens aboard an alien craft—and reality begins to fracture.

Peter shares how Descendent uses science fiction not just to thrill, but to probe the psychological toll of trauma and the resilience of love. We discuss:

• 🛸 The blurred line between memory and imagination
  
  
• 💔 How couples navigate the aftermath of extraordinary events
  
  
• 🎭 The grounded performances of Marquand and Tomko
  
  
• 🧠 Clues and visual motifs that challenge the viewer’s perception of reality
  
  
• 🎬 Peter’s journey from shorts to his first feature—and why this story had to be told now

Whether you're a fan of cerebral sci-fi or intimate character studies, Descendent offers a layered experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

🔍 Watch closely. What’s real? What’s imagined? And what does it mean to truly survive?

 

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