The Survivalist (film)

The Survivalist is a 2015 British science fiction thriller film written and directed by Stephen Fingleton and starring Mia Goth, Martin McCann and Olwen Fouéré. Filmed in Northern Ireland, the post-apocalyptic thriller was released in UK cinemas and on demand on 12 February 2016.

The film takes place when oil production has ceased, which has resulted in a total economic collapse, the fall of society, and a severe drop in the population.

The Survivalist is first seen burying a man's body. He is then shown to be living efficiently as a nomad in the wild. He harvests crop for food (as animal meat is scarce), forages berries, washes clothes in a nearby stream, grows seeds with semen, lays traps against intruders around his small farm's perimeter, and lives alone out of a small cabin he has built.

One morning, The Survivalist hears noise outside his cabin, and rushes out to find two women. An old woman named Katherine and a younger woman named Milja, ask him if he could spare any of his crop, and attempt to trade for it too, to both of which he declines while holding them at gunpoint. Katherine suggests they stay the night, implying that he uses Milja for sex in return for food & shelter. The Survivalist agrees, but only for one night.

The following morning, The Survivalist tells the women to take their belongings and leave. After Milja caresses and shaves his face, he agrees to let them stay indefinitely if they help him with the farming. Over a few days, Katherine and Milja secretly conspire to kill The Survivalist in order to reduce supplies being used. The following morning, after Katherine briefly contemplates murdering him, The Survivalist is alerted a footprint in the mud, just as Milja is taken hostage while washing in a nearby stream. The Survivalist is shot in the stomach, but in turn, kills the assailant. Milja and Katherine treat The Survivalist's wound, prying the bullet out and cauterising the wound. After the wound becomes infected, he gathers maggots to eat the infected tissue. As he recovers, temperature drops, and they huddle together in bed to stay warm.

One night, raiders arrive and The Survivalist, Milja and Katherine gather and discuss their options. Six raiders are counted, and the survivors only have a shotgun with 2 shells, a pistol with one bullet, and two knives. They have no choice but to keep quiet while the raiders steal most of the crop and attempt, but fail, to break into the cabin. In the following days, while they work to save the farm, Milja discovers she is pregnant. Katherine again floats the idea of killing The Survivalist due to lack of food, and advises her to attempt an abortion. Milja attempts abortion with a copper rod, but fails.