Hot Candle Wave

08/04/2026

We are stoked to have Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant shortlisted by the Screen International Global Production Awards for a Sustainable Production Award for Film.

We are nominated alongside Hamnet, Frankenstein, and Jurassic World Rebirth!

These awards celebrate outstanding and sustainable work in the world of film and TV production, locations and studios.

A huge thank you to Rose Archer, Greenlit , and all our cast, crew, and partners who supported our project!

30/01/2026

Beanies in the wild: a Sundance study 👽

22/01/2026

First look at MUM, I’M ALIEN PREGNANT just dropped at

Tomorrow night we premiere at Sundance. This weird, slimy film is finally going out into the world and we couldn’t be more stoked.

See you in Park City. Link in bio. 👽🎬

09/01/2026

Welcome to 2026! Hot Candle Wave had their first strategy day out of the office with this incredible view to help put a few things in perspective.

We are excited to be working with some of Aotearoa’s most exciting filmmaking talent and can’t wait to be bringing mind-blowing stuff to screens all over the world.

Next stop: with to premiere Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant 👽

2026 is going to be a good one we feel 💥

26/12/2025

We finally had the privilege of showing the finished “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” to the people who made it with us. The actors seeing their performances on the big screen with an audience. The crew realising that yes - all those ambitious, unhinged creative choices to bring a seemingly impossible script to life actually worked out. The crowd at collectively wincing at THAT scene (you’ll know it when you see it). 🍆

Then we dropped the news and the room absolutely lost it. Over the moon doesn’t cover it.

Massive thanks to and for supporting our film and keeping everyone happy. And to this entire whānau: you made something bloody special.

Park City, January. Let’s introduce the world to our alien baby 👽🎬

10/12/2025

Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant will have its world premiere at the 2026 . THUNDERLIPS’ slimy, masterful ode to mothers will premiere in the Midnight section at Park City this January. ’Stoked’ and ‘Excited’ don’t begin to cover it.

When a messy millennial underachiever accidentally gets alien-pregnant, she must overcome skeptical doctors, a useless baby daddy, and her oversharing mum in order to survive and reclaim her life.

Produced by Alix Whittaker, Morgan Leigh Stewart, and Ilai Amar, and made with the support of NZ Film Commission, Hinterland, Umbrella, XYZ Films, Images & Sound - Complete Post Production, Imagezone, and Scale Studios.

Our spectacular cast includes Hannah Lynch, Yvette Parsons, Jackie van Beek, Arlo Green and Jonny Brugh, Karen O'Leary, Angella Dravid, and many more

We also want to thank the incredible crew who helped make this slimy fever dream a reality.
Thank you thank you thank you all! We can’t wait to get eyeballs on this thing! Thanks Sundance Film Festival!

17/10/2025

After having its World Premiere at Bifan in 2024 Thunderlips’ short film ‘Help, I’m Alien Pregnant’ has now screened at 30 festivals world wide.

It’s been an incredible run, and we are stoked to have screened at a sold out SXSW Sydney session last night (opening for the awesome Weedeaters movie)

A huge thank you to the cast Hannah Lynch, Arlo Gibson, Tandi Wright, Amelia Reynolds

And our crew (including but not limited to) Bayley Broome-Peake, Ash Turner, Lissy Turner, McGregor Allen.

Our fab collaborators Scale Studios, Imagezone, and Images & Sound - Complete Post Production

Stay tuned to Hot Candle Wave and THUNDERLIPS for more exciting news coming soon(ish) 👽

07/07/2025