"Wildling" is an elevated horror tale in the vein of vampire pic Let The Right One In. The story centers on young Anna (Powley), who spends her entire childhood in a single room under the care of a mysterious man (Brad Dourif) she only knows as 'Daddy.' He makes her fear the 'Outside' by telling her of the 'Wildling,' a creature with sharp teeth and claws who roams about eating little children.

At age 16, Anna is freed by small-town sheriff Ellen Champney (Tyler) with whom she finds a temporary home. For the first time in her life, Anna experiences the Outside, soon learning there's no such thing as the Wildling. But as she begins to flourish as a young woman, a series of unsettling events unfolds.