A film by Scott Tinkham & Michael Woloson
In theaters November 6At Alamo Drafthouse · An Alamo Exclusives release
See Littermates
Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of a mysterious war, LITTERMATES follows two disoriented survivors who take refuge at an isolated cottage in the English countryside. After Liam and Mel arrive bloodied, speechless, and unable to fully understand what has happened to them, they are taken in by Chester, an enigmatic caretaker who bathes, feeds, and teaches them how to speak again.
As sirens, smoke, and distant threats press closer, Liam and Mel go about their days relearning the most simple tasks inside Chester’s carefully controlled world, while earning “nifties” for good behavior that can be traded for small comforts like karaoke, hot tub time, dance parties, and favorite meals. However, unlike Liam, Mel is far less willing to accept the boundaries of the cottage, growing increasingly drawn to the woods, the locked gate, and the larger world Chester insists is too dangerous to enter.
When Mel's curiosity pushes past Chester’s rules, the fragile order of the cottage is tested; exposing the fear, loyalty, and unanswered questions holding their makeshift family together.
Having both grown up with siblings, we made LITTERMATES to explore the strange, primal, and often trivial relationship between siblings. At its heart, the film is an unconventional coming-of-age story set against a dystopian backdrop.
We’re both massive fans of Yorgos Lanthimos and the tonal balance he strikes in his work: films that feel profound and deeply thought-provoking while never taking themselves too seriously. That was something we wanted to capture from the very beginning. The film is darkly comedic but still grounded in the emotional experience of the characters.
The script took a little over eight months to complete, reverse-engineered around the tools we knew we wanted to use: a single location, three characters played by our best friends Joey, Kaylee, and Ollie, the picturesque hills of the English countryside, and a helicopter. From the beginning of the writing process, though, it was always about siblinghood. We knew that if we kept the emotional engine of the film clear, everything else could evolve naturally around it.
Scott Tinkham & Michael Woloson
Writer / Director
Scott is a writer and director from Minnesota. He wrote the screenplay for Littermates. His work lives at the intersection of dark comedy and emotional sincerity, often exploring characters who are spiraling and searching for meaning in the strangest of places.
Director / DP
Originally from Las Vegas, Michael is a Los Angeles-based director, cinematographer, and producer. He also shot and edited Littermates. His work combines precise visual storytelling with intimate, character-driven narratives, often exploring the complexity of memory and time.
Liam
Joey is a New York-based actor and filmmaker. After spending nine years in Los Angeles studying at The Groundlings, training with renowned acting teachers, and graduating from film school where he wrote and directed as well, Joey built a foundation rooted in both performance and storytelling.
Mel
Kaylee is an actor and producer based in New York and New Orleans. She is President of Production and Development at Sydney Sweeney’s Honey Trap production label. Her credits include Christy, The Housemaid, and Immaculate. She also produced Littermates.
Chester
Oliver is a London-based actor, producer, writer, and trained clown. Through his company That's The Fish, he produced Littermates, Two Big Feet, and The Peril at Pincer Point.
Behind the scenes in the English countryside.
Photographs by Alfie Fisher.
MelKaylee McGregor
LiamJoey Bader
ChesterOliver Woolf
The StrangerJack Redmayne