Two New Zealand Film Commission-supported films – “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – will have their world premieres at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival 2026, one of the world’s leading platforms for independent cinema and emerging voices.
The film festival will run from January 22nd-February 1st 2026, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with an in-person and online programme, continuing its legacy as one of the world’s most influential showcases for independent cinema.
“Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” will screen in Sundance’s Midnight section, a showcase for bold, genre-bending storytelling. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” will debut in competition in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, celebrating powerful international voices.
“Sundance is all about celebrating distinctive, original voices, so having two New Zealand debut features in this year’s line-up is a real milestone. It speaks to the incredible depth of emerging talent in New Zealand,” said Annie Murray, NZFC CEO.
“These filmmakers bring fresh perspectives that connect with audiences and show what’s possible when we back creativity and support the next generation of storytellers. ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ is the first feature to emerge from Dame Jane Campion’s A Wave in the Ocean programme, supported by NZFC, which makes its inclusion even more exciting.”
The program, created by the legendary filmmaker, champions emerging New Zealand filmmakers, providing mentorship, training, and creative support to empower original film making in Aotearoa.
From writer and director Paloma Schneideman (also known as musician Pollyhill), “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is set over a transformative summer in 2006, where 14-year-old Sid Bookman discovers desire, identity and the internet, as she imitates the people she longs to be loved by.
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The film captures the raw intensity of adolescence with honesty and style. Starring Ani Palmer in a breakout role, alongside Rain Spencer (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”, “Good Girl Jane”), and acclaimed actor Noah Taylor (“Game of Thrones”, “Peaky Blinders”), it’s produced by Vicky Pope (“Went Up the Hill”, “Pike River”) and Thomas Coppell.
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“’Big Girls Don’t Cry’ is a film about a girl who wants to be seen like an adult but needs to be loved like a child. It’s a reckoning – with identity, with shame, with desire, and with the parts of ourselves we were once told to hide. Being selected to premiere in competition at Sundance is madness – something I wished for since we began production, even earlier. I am overcome with gratitude, for my team, for everyone who’s supported and nurtured me, for the artists and experts that gave so much of themselves to this film. For storytelling,” said Schneideman.
Meanwhile, directed by the filmmaking duo THUNDERLIPS, “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” is a riotous body-horror comedy that pushes boundaries with heart and humour. Produced by Morgan Leigh Stewart, Alix Whittaker, and Ilai Amar, with executive producer Timothy White, this film promises a wild ride through the unexpected.
“We’re beyond thrilled that our cinematic love letter to horny little Kiwi towns has resonated with programmers overseas – and we can’t wait to bring the movie home to local audiences next year,” the directors said.