There are different relationship combinations to describe a person with power/control/knowledge, and the one that depends on and learns from the former. Parent and child; teacher and student; mentor and mentee. But in a world where isolation means near complete dependence, and danger means implicit trust, who can be counted on, when is rebellion necessary, and how is truth and fact to be known?
Written by Scott Tinkham, directed by Tinkham and Michael Woloson, Littermates is a quietly compelling semi-apocalypse story, the kind of lo-fi sci fi that focuses on the people rather than the technology. Who is controlling whom, for what reason, and what happens when you cross boundaries without knowing why they are boundaries, all feel important question in an age when we are more isolated and often lack the necessary knowledge to have a functioning life or society.
In the formerly bucolic rolling hills of England, there seems to be some sort of conflict. A young man (Joey Bader), barefoot with clothes tattered and bloodstains under his nose, is rescued by Chester (Oliver Woolf), whose has a small corner to himself, with a helicopter and a decent sized estate. It seems Liam, as the young man is christened, has no memory of himself, where he is, or what is happening. Chester teaches him to speak again, helps him adjust back into human life, and tells him not to leave the property since its too dangerous (and the nearby sound of gunfire would seem to support this), and takes Liam to a sort of tween age in mental and emotional maturity. But this isolated peace is interrupted by a woman (Kaylee McGregor), who also arrives with blood under her nose and the inability to speak. Liam is not happy at who he sees as his usurper.
In her naming moment, Chester tries to give her the name 'Melanie', but she immediately crosses out the 'anie', so Mel it is. Whereas Liam is obedient and happy for his small rewards such as hot tub time and karaoke, it's clear that Mel understands that that something is wrong with this situation. Chester seems calm and caring; he doesn't abuse Liam or Mel, makes sure they all get to the bomb shelter when necessary, and keeps sending up flares as if he's trying to attract more people to come. But no one is that kind, are they?
At one moment, it feels like Chester might be secretly some kind of mad scientist, or a post-apocalypse Henry Higgins looking to teach his charges how to have good manners and decorum. At another, this feels almost like a garden of Eden, isolated from the dangerous world, and maybe god has come back in the form of this wealthy englishman who intends to keep this new Adam and Eve from leaving the revamped Paradise.
By removing most of the immediate danger and placing Liam and Mel in a place where their basic needs are met, it allows the drama to play out as a psychological experiment. Both Liam and Mel seem somewhat stuck at this tween-like level of maturity, and certainly Liam seems quite happy in this state. Mel is pushing the boundaries, both figuratively, in the particular nickname she gives her co-habitant, and literally, in that she wants to see what's beyond the gate, despite the implied danger.
Tinkham and Woloson give plenty of space to the actors and story to explore the damage done to them, and as much is told between the lines as by the action and dialogue itself. The sibling rivalry is immediate and palpable, and the actors play well with this divide of enjoying their sheltered state and needing to know what is keeping them trapped. This kind of minimalism is helped by the location, a large home and estate that gives the impression of an empty world except for these three, and the score, which is both haunted and disjointed, reflecting the mood of the story.
While there is definite humour in the situation, there is always a darkness underneath, a constant reminder that there is something lurking beyond. Maybe what is dangerous is getting farther away, but that just makes it worse, and that stretch of civilization leaving Liam, Mel, and Chester behind, is worse than any gun pointed their way. Littermates is that intriguing apocalyptic sci fi that takes some detours to the psychological and how identity and ignorance shapes survival.
Littermates will have its North American premiere at the 2026 Dances with Films Festival on Sunday, June 21.