Ao: The Last Hunter

A cunning and protective Neanderthal hunter who endures the destruction of his clan and the harsh arcs of migration. Ao's grief fuels a slow, patient transformation as he learns to trust and adapt to new companions, ultimately choosing a fragile, hopeful path with Aki and Wāma/Néa. He carries a deep memory of a past life and a longing to reconnect with his twin and homeland.

The younger version of Ao who embodies a swift, instinctual hunter’s drive. While not as graphically developed as the adult Ao, his presence hints at the origins of the coping instincts and social bonds that expand as the journey continues.

A fellow hunter of Ao’s clan, loyal and resourceful. He shares the clan’s rugged life until catastrophe strikes, and his fall marks the fragility of life in a predator-rich, volatile world.

A domineering leader within the Cro-Magnon band Ao encounters, enforcing harsh rituals and wielding authority that creates tension and danger for those captured, including Ao and the others.

A member of Ao’s circle who becomes a target of the tribe’s violence. His capture and execution (or sacrifice) by Agūk underscores the brutal ritual world Ao must navigate on the road to safety.

A Homo sapiens woman who is captured with her husband and becomes a pivotal partner for Ao. Her calm resolve, maternal instinct, and practical knowledge help them survive and gradually bridge the distance between their cultures.

The daughter of Ao and four years of Aki, a symbol of their fragile union and a living link to Néa. Her existence anchors the couple’s commitment to building a family across species boundaries.

Ao’s twin brother, born far away, whose memory and imagined presence haunt Ao as he travels toward a homeland that no longer exists. The twin’s absence reinforces the film’s meditation on memory and longing.

The newborn daughter Ao mourns and sometimes believes he has found as a reincarnation of his lost twin’s memory. Néā becomes a focal point for Ao’s hope and the family’s future.

The infant Ao and Aki care for as they travel toward Ao’s homeland. Wāma embodies their evolving bond and the possibility of continuity between two lineages.

A polar bear encounter that forces Ao to defend his companion group. The beast’s attack catalyzes Ao’s growth as a hunter, protector, and survivor in a world where predators are as dangerous as rival tribes.