The Oldest
Twelve-year-old Cate’s father comes to a sudden stop on a gravel road, and tells Cate to take over driving his prized Bronco, even though she doesn’t know how to drive a stick and her four younger siblings are in the car. Cate gets them all home safely, but she’s shaken by the experience when she realizes that her dad has been drinking again. Once home, Cate escapes by climbing out her window and taking refuge beneath Iowa’s huge sky.
After years of taking care of her younger siblings and minding her father’s drinking, Cate begins to rebel and find herself in this coming-of-age story set in late 80s rural Iowa.
“The Oldest” is writer and director Cathlin McCullough’s love letter to Iowa. “Iowa is the place that shaped me, the place I call home. It’s so beautiful, and I want to share it with everyone. I also wish I had a story like this when I was younger; maybe I wouldn’t have felt so different and alone. This film is for anyone who had to grow up too fast, anyone who loves Iowa, and for those whose lives addiction has touched.” – Cathlin
The film trains a lens on family addiction, as told from the child’s point-of-view. It aims to tell a nuanced and tender story about family addiction, avoiding tired tropes of “good versus bad. “28.320 million people, or 20% of people who drink alcohol, have an alcohol use disorder.” – National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics
This film is important now because it elevates the stories of girls and centers women’s voices. “Only 6% of directors across the 1,600 most popular movies between 2007 and 2022 were women.” -Annenburg Center for Inclusion
“The Oldest” is a narrative short film by Cathlin McCullough set in 1989, loosely based on her own childhood. Filming late June in Iowa on 16mm film, with an all-Iowa cast and crew.
View more information here: https://www.cathlinmccullough.
You can support the film by donating through the link below, or by mailing a check payable to Des Moines Film to: Des Moines Film, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, IA 50311. Please note on your check that the donation is for The Oldest.
