Alien Weaponry are rewriting what it means to be metal.

Join us for our Film Talk x DEGANZ screening of Kent Belcher’s fierce debut feature documentary, ALIEN WEAPONRY: KUA TUPU TE ARA. After the film enjoy a Q&A with director Kent Belcher, moderated by a member from the Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Rialto Cinemas hosts 'Film Talk' screenings in partnership with the DEGANZ. These events provide filmmakers and film buffs the opportunity to meet and discuss the most interesting aspects of filmmaking - directing, acting, producing and storytelling.

Plus, Film Industry members can get a discounted $15* ticket on presentation of a valid Film Industry membership card!

Find out more about the film below, then secure your seat by booking tickets now.

Synopsis

Alien Weaponry are rewriting what it means to be metal, with te reo Maori anthems channelling the power and pride of their culture. ALIEN WEAPONRY: KUA TUPU TE ARA is a feature-length documentary chronicling the band’s meteoric rise. It follows brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong from their first jams together as kids to headlining international stages. But this isn’t just music for the brothers—it’s a call to honour their tupuna, confront colonisation and fiercely champion te reo. Filmed over six years, director Kent Belcher’s debut feature captures raw moments with these young metalheads and their dedication to music, family, and culture.

Q&A Speakers

KENT BELCHER - At 12 years old, Kent Belcher had already set his sights on becoming "the guy behind the camera". By 2005, he was honing his eye as a camera assistant, before making the full leap into cinematography with a series of short films: ‘Eight Years Later’ (2016), ‘Theresse’, ‘Rinse’, ‘Mute’ (all 2018), and ‘Catch of the Day’ (2019). In 2022, he shot his first feature film, the post-apocalyptic thriller, ‘Northspur’. ‘Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara’ marks Kent’s debut in directing a feature film, it premiered at New York's Tribeca Film Festival, and screened in the 2024 Whanau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival.

Moderator to be confirmed.