Out of Darkness

45,000 years ago, six people search for a new home in a brutally inhospitable landscape, and when night falls, they are stalked by a terrifying enemy.

Year: 2022

Director: Andrew Cumming 

Writer: Ruth Greenberg 

Producer: Oliver Kassman 

Co-producer: Wendy Griffin

Cast: Safia Oakley-Green, Kit Young, Chuku Modu, Iola Evans, Arno Lüning, Luna Mwezi 

Production companies: Escape Plan, Selkie Productions 

Screen Scotland Funding: Out of Darkness received funding through Screen Scotland’s Film Development and Production Fund to support this ambitious production from Scotland based producer Wendy Griffin which shot on location in the Scottish Highlands around Gairloch, Wester Ross, in 2020.


Synopsis

A small boat reaches the shores of a raw and desolate landscape. A group of six have struggled across the narrow sea to find a new home. They are starving, desperate, and living 45,000 years ago. First they must find shelter, and they strike out across the tundra wastes towards the distant mountains that promise the abundant caves they need to survive. But when night falls, anticipation turns to fear and doubt as they realize they are not alone. Terrifying sounds suggest something monstrous at large in this landscape, something that could kill or steal them away. As relationships in the group fracture, the determination of one young woman reveals the terrible actions taken to survive. 

More information

World Premiere: BFI London Film Festival 2022

Out of Darkness was released in cinemas in the US on Friday 9 February 2024, and grossed over $1 million in its opening weekend. The film had its UK and Ireland cinema release on Friday 23 February 2024.

Header image: Still from Out of Darkness courtesy of Escape Plan Productions