Short Film: Trunk of Death

"Trunk of Death" by 710 Main Films

Written by Ben J. Tucker

A serial killer who dwells in an apartment building has to make like Jeffrey Dahmer every so often, and dump a corpse without anyone noticing. Unless, as in Greg Pregent’s wryly funny Trunk of Death, his oblivious neighbors happen to be way too helpful. Who knew Woody Allen was a serial killer?

Short Film: Turning Point

"Turning Point" by Joe Penna
Written by Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison

"Turning Point" is yet another great sci-fi short from Joe Penna.  This one takes us into a post-apocalyptic near future in which a lethal contagion transforms people into zombies.  Far from being the typical zombie horror cliché, though, Penna offers a fresh take on the genre with a story about a woman trapped in the midst of an outbreak.

Below, you can watch an excellent behind the scene featurette demonstrating how the film came together, as well as all the unexpected difficulties the director encountered during production, including the lead actress being involved in a serious car accident on her way to the shoot.

"Abandoned and exposed to a deadly disease, a young woman wakes up to discover she must survive the night alone."

Short Film: LILITU

"LILITU" Written and Directed by Rico Lowry

"LILITU" is a suspenseful film centered around astral projection, the idea of a mind traveling outside the body. Shot on 35mm, Lowry presents a rather bizarre tale of "a woman who astral projects herself to the presence of the demoness Lilitu." You might have seen Richard's past films, like MONARCH OF THE MOON or DESTINATION MARS.

Short Film: Keith

"Keith" by Luke Kondor

Keith wants to give you the best tech support in the world, even if it kills you in this high tech psychological thriller.

Short Film: MR. STITCH

"MR. STITCH" from Mike Wilson

"My debut as writer/director, this short is set in contemporary London, and introduces a mysterious doctor for the criminal underworld known only as "Mr. Stitch"."

Short Film: Intruders

"Intruders" Written & Directed by Santiago Menghini

"In the aftermath of a deadly haunting in a small suburban home, a sinister omnipresent entity proceeds to cause havoc in the private lives of a young boy, an unsuspecting teen, and an absent minded inspector."

Short Film: The Parcel

"The Parcel" by Hayden Phipps and Brett Williams of One Trick Pony

"A haunting tale of a suburban man's encounter with a mysterious parcel. After collecting the parcel from his local post office he is confronted with an unsettling force that embeds itself into his reality."

Short Film: Hush

"Hush" by Michael Kehoe

A young woman discovers the house she is sitting is possessed by an evil entity.

Short Film: Time To Eat

"Time To Eat" Written and Directed by Luke Asa Guidici

After being sent to timeout, a mischievous boy’s trip to the basement leads to a monstrous revelation.  Visit timetoeatfilm.com for more, including special behind-the-scenes content.

Short Film: Dirty Laundry

"Dirty Laundry" Written and Directed by Jessica Martin

"A Congressman gets caught in a compromising position and a mysterious fixer is brought in to set him straight."

Short Film: Obscure

"Obscure" by Fabrizio Fenech

"Through all the confusion and obsession that he is passing through, He gets lost between what it's real and what it's not."

Short Film: Monsters

"Monsters" Directed by Steve Desmond

Written by Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman

"Monsters" is a short suspense film with a great twist. "Monster" is the story of Jenn, a 10-year-old girl who has spent her entire life in an underground bunker, sheltered from a world ruined by monsters. While her older brother and parent take turns making supply runs to the surface, Jenn spends her days alone in the bunker. She spends her life fantasizing about a world she's never seen and waiting for the monsters to die off so that she can see it herself. One day, though, she grows tired of waiting for the world outside to grow safe enough for her, and she decides to venture out on her own.

"Monsters" could very well be an episode of a contemporary Twilight Zone series. It's packed with suspense from its opening shot first moment to its shocking finale. Like Twilight Zone, the film is grounded in universal themes that examine modern issues.

"Jenn lives in an underground bunker with her family, protected from the monsters that now ravage the world. This is the day that she goes outside…"

Short Film: Here's The Deal...

"Here's The Deal..." Written by Gene Priest and Derek Jones

Directed by Dave Owings

"What could you possibly say to a life-long friend that could cost you your life? Hint: camping trips are not confessionals. No one gets absolution."

Short Film: It's Okay

"It's Okay" Directed by Alex Kline of Origin Films

Written by Nick Tillery & Alex Kline

In "It's Okay," a man is consumed by his guilt and remorse as he is haunted by his mistakes.

Short Film: ROTOR

"ROTOR" Directed by Maarten Groen

In "ROTOR," a lone security guard sits in a creepy factory, while small, odd things happen around him.  When he investigates a mysterious intruder, all of those little oddities come to a head.

Created without any budget to speak of, "Rotor" is a tight story with stylized visuals that make it a perfect fit for the short film medium.  It's a fun and thrilling way to spend seven minutes of your day.

"A lone night security guard in an eerie factory sees an intruder on one of the monitors and goes to investigate."

Short Film: 8GHz

"8GHz" Directed by Anthony Dones of Darkroom Pictures

"8GHz" is a short film that offers an intimate perspective on the apocalypse.  In it, a young woman is confronted by the possibility that she is the sole survivor of an asteroid-ravaged Earth.  The director's goal was to create a gripping tale of suspense with the most minimal setup possible.

It's a suspenseful story that's all the more moving for it's stark trappings.

"The “Twilight Zone” is the inspiration behind 8GHz. It’s creator, Rod Serling, told great stories that explored the outer cosmos and inward humanity with simple set pieces and small cast ensembles. 8GHz was to be a retreat to that style of filmmaking. The challenge was to see if we could tell an engaging story with just one actor, one room and one light."

"When a massive event plunges the earth into chaos, a sole survivor goes on a quest to overcome her greatest fear...loneliness."

Short Film: FRAGMENT

"FRAGMENT" Directed by Noah Griffith

Written by Noah Griffith & Daniel Stewart

"Fragment" is an impressive science fiction thriller.  In it, a pilot who has just survived survived the crash of his fighter jet allows his curiosity to get the better of him as he waits for rescue in the middle of the desert.  Following a radio beacon, the pilot stumbles upon a disturbing discovery.

Set against the desolate backdrop of a desert, "Fragment" is a highly atmospheric tale that delivers on the promise of its premise in a big way.  It's unsettling, intense, and extremely compelling despite a story built on worn tropes.

"An Air Force jet breaks up over the desert. A mysterious radio beacon draws the pilot from the crash site. A discovery is waiting. And it is not of this Earth."

Short Film: Alt

"Alt" written and directed by Alejandro Hernández

"Alt" is a Venezuelan science-fiction short film. It tells the story of a woman whose perfect life spirals out of control after everything around her starts to mysteriously vanish.

Sofía is living the life she always wanted: a beautiful child, a successful husband and a nice house. One day, she wakes up with a series of visions she can't explain. Eventually, her family and every object that represents an emotional connection to her starts to dematerialize one by one.

Filmed on a shoe string budget of just 4,000 bolivares (US$350), "Alt" proves that it's possible to create an intellectually satisfying film in the six minutes given the right cast is given an intelligent script.  While there are fleeting moments when the film's low budget "seams" are evident, what's remarkable is how little those moment subtract from the impact of the film.

"The perfect life of a woman spirals out of control after everything around her starts to mysteriously vanish."

Short Film: LINE SIGNAL

"LINE SIGNAL" by John Panton from Meat Bingo

"LINE SIGNAL" is an eerie short film set amid the woods and mist of southwest England.  In it, a woman encounters a bizarre series of event in the course of her daily jog. 

It’s a beautiful film, featuring sweeping shots of the countryside meant as much to disorient as to anchor views in a setting.  If there’s a villain in this film, it’s fog.  Both visually and thematically. This is about as close as you can get to a story with zero exposition. What’s the big deal she’s trying to lock down? What’s wrong with her father? Why doesn’t she call her family? What really happened to the people who now haunt this clearing?

The questions linger in a delightful way, utilizing mystery as an ally in delivering an open-ended tale that feels complete without needing to seal the lid all that tightly. Bolstered by creepy imagery and a slow-motion sense of unease, and you have a ghostly short film that pulls the goosebumps right out of their hiding places.

Short Film: The Gentleman Darks

"The Gentleman Darks" Written and Directed by Brandon Vedder of All Cut Up Films

"The Gentleman Darks" is a dark, inexplicable short film.  It begins in media res, with Abel and Sam answering a summons from a mysterious man known only as the Gentleman.  They venture out into the backwoods with trepidation.  Being brought under the Gentleman’s wing could change their simple lives dramatically, but whether that's a good thing or not is a decision they'll each have to make on their own.

The beauty of the story is in its vagaries.  The story is told with few details, teasing out the audiences attention moment by moment. 

"When a fabled man in their rough backwoods named Gentleman calls on them, Abel & Sam nervously head out to the darks to investigate."