The Survivalist

Stephen Fingleton : 2015

The dystopian future of 2023: a time of starvation. The Survivalist has been living off the grid before the grid went down. Growing food on a small farm hidden deep in a forest, he protects his land from thieves and foragers with man traps and a shotgun. But the long years alone have taken their toll on him, and he is beginning to lose his grip on reality. His isolation is broken by two visitors, Kathryn and her teenage daughter Milja. They are starving and desperate for food. Initially reluctant to share any, he relents when they offer a night with Milja. The exchange becomes an uneasy ongoing arrangement; as Kathryn schemes to take control of the farm, and Survivalist finds his feelings growing for her daughter. When the farm comes under attack from outsiders, they find they must work together to survive, developing loyalties which will be tested when food runs short. Stephen Fingleton's feature debut received the Best New Narrative Director, Special Jury Mention when it premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2015. His film had its UK premiere at Belfast Film Festival 2015.