'Descendent' an L.A.-set thriller starring Irish actor Sarah Bolger about an elementary school security guard unraveling after a close encounter will have its world premiere on Monday at SXSW. The film has been picked up by RLJE Films ahead of the features debut at SXSW. The distributor is setting a theatrical release for North America later in 2025 reported by Variety.
Writer and director, Peter Cilella said “This film was a labor of love, and I could not be more thrilled to partner with RLJE Films to bring Descendent to SXSW and beyond,”. “It truly takes a village to bring a project like this to life, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.”
The thriller, which marks Cilella’s feature directorial debut follows Sean Bruner, a man racked by trauma as the birth of his first child approaches. Discovering a mysterious beam of light during a graveyard shift, Bruner reawakens with visions of extraterrestrials and a slippery sense of reality.
Mark Ward, chief acquisitions officer of RLJE Films added “We look forward to releasing Descendent alongside Peter Cilella, who delivers a gripping fusion of suspense and sci-fi, offering audiences a deeply personal story wrapped in cosmic fears that harkens to ‘Fire in the Sky,”. Citing the 1993 cult favorite as a comparison point. “With its haunting atmosphere, the film taps into primal fears of parenthood, destiny, and forces beyond our control.”
Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, the sci-fi filmmaking duo now directing episodes of Marvel’s Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again are producers on Descendent along with David Lawson Jr. and Caleb Ward. Executive producers are Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier, Henry Winterstern and Mark Ward. The acquisition was negotiated with the filmmakers, Mark Ward and Brandon Hammer of RLJE.
