Sundance 2026: The Incomer

The pull of the mainland becomes an inescapable siren song in Louis Paxton’s The Incomer, a fable of culture clashes and chosen family. The dramedy combines live-action and animation to explore the comfort zone between a visceral connection to the homeland and self-imposed isolation.

After losing their parents, 30-something siblings Isla (Gayle Rankin) and Sandy (Grant O’Rourke) have been fiercely guarding their windswept island off the Scottish coast. They spend their days feeding on gulls and resisting a Finman (John Hannah) who wants to lure them into the sea. Incomers aren’t welcome here, as awkward council official Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson) soon learns. Tasked with relocating Isla and Sandy to the mainland, Daniel waxes lyrical about the perks of life on the other side — avocados and the internet, namely — but keeps quiet about how lonely any place can feel when you struggle to find your people.

Paxton’s poignant, if at times twee, search for belonging is anchored by the three charming central performances, creating a playful dynamic in the loopholes of the social contract. Countering Gleeson’s nerdy nervousness and O’Rourke’s comedic relief, Rankin emerges as a force to be reckoned with, tapping into a feral quality she previously unlocked as Sheila the She-Wolf in Netflix’s gone-too-soon wrestling drama GLOW. Strengthening the fairytale structure of The Incomer are its supporting stars – Michelle Gomez, who adds another delicious antagonist to her streak as Daniel’s ruthless boss, Roz, and Emun Elliott, who joins in as her Rambo-esque henchman, Calum. 

Full of childlike wonder and quirks underneath its stern surface, The Incomer’s quaintness may not be everyone’s bag. Despite some sequences dragging, Paxton’s debut rises as a headstrong folktale that has humour, heart and understanding of what ‘home’ means, wherever it may be.