Sci-fi Talk

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: