The Incomer

Brother and sister Sandy and Isla have lived on a remote Scottish island for thirty years. They keep the outside world at arm's length and avoid all contact with the mainland. Outsiders — incomers — as their father used to tell them, will destroy all that is of value. Life on the island is simple, but that is just how father wanted it. When socially awkward council official Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson) sets foot on the island to announce that Sandy and Isla have to leave, they refuse. What follows is a game of cat and mouse, increasingly blurring the line between reality and illusion. Who will stand their ground? The Incomer is an absurdist comedy that combines folklore, distrust, and the deeply human desire for connection.

The Incomer is the feature directorial debut of Orkney filmmaker Louis Paxton, who also wrote the screenplay. He tells the story with great pace, references to well-known tales, and complements the live-action footage with hand-drawn animations. The Incomer served as the opening film for the 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival this summer, received the NEXT Innovator Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and, alongside a regular screening at the Noordelijk Film Festival on Saturday afternoon, will also be featured as part of How to Read a Film? with Lidewijde Paris.