The Oldest

“The Oldest” is a narrative short film by photographer and filmmaker Cathlin McCullough, shot on 16mm film on location in rural Iowa starring Meara Wallace and Kristian Day.

Logline: After years of caretaking her younger siblings and minding her Father’s drinking, 12-year-old Kate begins to escape and find herself in this coming-of-age story set in late 80s rural Iowa.

Summary: “The Oldest” focuses on the inner life of a girl who longs to escape her stressful home life and just be a kid. As the oldest of 5, Kate takes on the role of mother to her younger siblings, and takes her job very seriously while wishing she could escape with her friends. It’s also about a girl’s relationship with nature and how a big Iowa sky can hold you when you have no where else to go.

This film is loosely based on Cathlin’s own childhood, and is dedicated to all those who had to grow up too fast in the shadow of addiction. It’s also a love letter to rural Iowa.

Thank you to all of the generous donors who helped raise $17,000 on Seed & Spark for this film.

Director’s Statement

“The Oldest” tells a nuanced and complex story about family addiction, while also looking at the impacts of a parent’s addiction squarely in the face. Addiction is a disease that affects the whole family, often for generations. My goal is to humanize all of the characters, including the addict, while also sharing insight into how a parent’s addiction can impact children in different ways. Birth order plays a role in this film and Kate’s role as the oldest child of 5 plays a huge part in how she manages her situation. Because this film is loosely based on my own childhood, writing the script helped me process the grief of losing my Father to addiction, and the grief of losing a childhood too soon. I aim to show how the tension of living under the disease can shape a child, and highlight the way these children often long to please their parent, never being able to relax and just be a kid, all while longing for a different life.