The remote Scottish isles have long held a mythic pull in cinema, but few films dare to venture as deep into their stark beauty and isolationist folklore as THE INCOMER, the singular debut from UK director Louis Paxton that will open the Next Section category at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. With Paris-based Charades boarding world sales, the film arrives with considerable international momentum, anchored by a cast led by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson and HOUSE OF THE DRAGON‘s Gayle Rankin. On an unnamed Scottish island buffeted by wind and myth, siblings Isla and Sandy have carved out an existence that belongs more to ancestral memory than modern life, surviving by hunting seabirds, retelling the stories passed down through generations, and fiercely defending their homeland from what they call “incomers”—outsiders who threaten to dilute or destroy their way of being. Their precarious balance shatters when Daniel, an awkward council worker played by Gleeson, arrives with bureaucratic orders to relocate them, setting off a collision between ancient tradition and contemporary governance.
The film’s supporting ensemble includes Grant O’Rourke from OUTLANDER, Emun Elliott of PROMETHEUS, Michelle Gomez known for DOCTOR WHO, and John Hannah, forever etched in memory from FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, lending weight and range to Paxton’s vision of a Scotland rarely seen on screen.
What emerges from the synopsis is a story that refuses easy categorization, blending comedy with ecological elegy, myth with bureaucratic absurdity, and the fierce dignity of those who refuse to be erased with the well-meaning but destructive machinery of progress. Paxton’s choice to stage this confrontation on a remote isle, where siblings converse with mythical beings and live according to rhythms older than nations, suggests a filmmaker unafraid to wrestle with questions of belonging, displacement, and what we lose when we prioritize efficiency over rootedness. As THE INCOMER prepares for its world premiere in Park City, it promises to be one of Sundance’s most distinctive offerings, a film that honors the stubborn beauty of those who remain when everyone else has left, and asks whether preservation is worth the cost of isolation.
Andrew Scott is bringing one of theater`s most powerful true stories to life.
The ALL OF US STRANGERS star will portray Scottish actor Ian Charleson in ELSINORE, chronicling Charleson`s breathtaking final performance as Hamlet at London`s National Theatre before his death in 1990 at age 40.
More via irishfilmtv.com.
Belfast-born Ciaran Hinds shines in Bradley Copper`s IS THIS THING ON?
With Hinds, you`re not just getting an actor. You`re getting decades of gravitas, warmth, and that rare ability to make every scene feel like it matters. From prestige drama to fantasy epics, he`s built a career on understated brilliance. And now? He`s ready to find the humor in heartbreak.
More Ciaran at irishfilmtv.com.
Gothic drama LIES WE TELL is now on Netflix.
With powerful performances by Agnes O`Casey and David Wilmot, the Irish drama takes Sheridan Le Fanu`s classic novel UNCLE SILAS and transforms it into something urgent and vital for our moment.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
When Colin Farrell and Jessie Buckley finally sat down together, they were strangers—but within moments, the conversation became profound.
Both Irish actors are carrying the weight of devastating roles this year: Farrell as a gambling addict spiraling in Macau in BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare grieving her son in HAMNET.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
From FAIR CITY to KNIVES OUT! Daryl McCormack shines in the new #netflix film WAKE UP DEAD MAN.
McCormack just wrapped Netflix`s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE opposite Jack Lowden, Emma Corrin, and Olivia Colman. Talk about range: trading viral grift for Jane Austen elegance. Same actor, different century, wildly different moral compass.
More Daryl at irishfilmtv.com.
Eve Hewson brings ghosts to life in Noah Baumbach`s JAY KELLY.
From her breakout in THIS MUST BE THE PLACE to BAD SISTERS and beyond, she`s now haunting George Clooney as Daphne—a face from the past that forces a movie star to confront who he became while chasing fame.
More Eve at irishfilmtv.com.
When the past catches up with you in Amsterdam 🌊
Ciarán Hinds and Lesley Manville star in MIDWINTER BREAK—a retired couple`s winter getaway becomes a reckoning with memories they`ve tried to outrun for decades, in theatres Feb 20.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
James Nesbitt is back in Harlan Coben`s twisted universe. 🔍
RUN AWAY drops January 1st on #Netflix — and this one`s personal.
When Simon (Nesbitt) finally finds his missing daughter strung out in a city park, it`s supposed to be a second chance. Instead, it`s the beginning of a nightmare.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
Are you loving STEVE on #Netflix?
Legendary war photographer Sir Don McCullin spent days on set capturing behind-the-scenes magic from this raw Netflix drama starring Cillian Murphy about a head teacher fighting to save his reform school while battling his own demons.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 RIVALS just scooped the International Emmy for Best Drama Series!
The Disney+ hit starring Irish talents Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit brought home the gold for this deliciously scandalous 1980s romp through the world of wealthy media types.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From THE COMMITMENTS to THE TUDORS to KIN, @mariadoylekennedy has built a career that defies categories.
In a brand new interview with The Irish Examiner, Maria opens up about the artists and art that shaped her creative journey—from her Dublin roots to international screens and stages.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎭 From Shakespeare to a Beatle: Paul Mescal is doing the impossible!
Oscar-nominated Irish actor Paul Mescal is taking on TWO iconic roles that prove he`s one of the most fearless actors working today.
Watch Paul`s latest interview at irishfilmtv.com.
Kerry Condon`s brief but powerful performance in TRAIN DREAMS is pitch perfect.
She inhabits her character with quiet competence, moving through a male-dominated world with both caution and grace.
Watch now on @netflix!
🎬 HAMNET stars to receive Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards!
A stunning meditation on love`s fragility and art`s power to transform suffering into transcendence. This is Irish talent at its absolute finest on the world stage.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix just quietly dropped a crime thriller you`ve been sleeping on, and Brendan Gleeson`s performance alone makes it mandatory viewing.
MR MERCEDES, Stephen King`s dark detective series that somehow flew under the radar, is finally streaming – and it`s everything fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers have been craving.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
