The Parker family has a dark secret. When their mother dies, Iris (Ambyr Childers), the family’s eldest daughter, is placed in charge of the late matriarch's duties. To do so, she has to perform rituals, hunt, and prepare the family’s dinner. Every family has its own dining traditions. The Parkers, however, are determined to hold onto their generations-long tradition of cannibalism.

Frank (Bill Sage), Iris, young sister Rose (Julia Garner), and little brother Rory (Jack Gore) must keep their dietary habits a secret from nosey neighbours and the authorities. While tricky at the best of times, their secrecy becomes nearly impossible when torrential rains flood the town, bringing clues of their activities floating to the surface. Meanwhile, a local doctor receives alarming news from Mrs. Parker's autopsy results.

A remake of a 2010 Mexican horror film by the same name, director Jim Mickle's We Are What We Are is a broody and genuinely suspenseful Gothic drama about family, love, loss, and loyalty. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.