SYNOPSIS
LITTERMATES. 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.
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Manchester FF ’26, and anchored by three incredible lead performances, Littermates