Five Of The Best Horror Film Shorts You've Never Seen
Over the past five years, I've had the honor and privilege to be in and on the accessible periphery of screenings of some of the most original, funny, disturbing, and overall entertaining genre films being created outside of major studios. With call-to-action's and film festivals created by impassioned women who look to neutralize discriminatory practices in the entertainment industry that keep women behind the camera consistently in the wilderness, some of the most innovative filmmakers have been made visible with a lot of virtual chatting and mobilization.
I get notifications about great genre shorts that include women of color in significant roles that are a part of the action as much as their other cast mates and more. Below are five of the best horror shorts you'll be happy you watched that are available online.
The Meeting (2013) Written & Directed by Karen Lam
In The Meeting, you're the fly on the wall where a small group of "former" serial killers work together on trying to suppress the habit. But of course, Lam throws a curve that doesn't make the task that easy. With perfect pacing and dialogue that both makes you smile and cringe, the film ends with you wondering, what else could possibly happen? I always imagined this being a pretty amazing web series.
Seven Minutes (2015) Written by BJ Colangelo & Zach Shildwachter
Directed by Zach Shildwachter
A friendly gathering with enough drankin' sparks an interesting turn for one friend as the night of mindless fun more into, maybe, an initiation. Pretty solid effects and a palatable dynamic between the actors gives Seven Minutes an audience much to chew on throughout its layered twelve minute run.
The Dump (2012) Written by David Ian McKendry & Rebekah McKendry
Directed by Rebekah McKendry
Like in any group, killers make up an array of different and intriguing people. Two of them meet accidentally and figure this out. With this unexpected confrontation comes compassion and would-be friendship in this horror comedy that will make your head spin in glee.
Sheeties (2012) Written & Directed by Paula Haifley
A mockumentary that delves into the world of making the Peanuts Gang Halloween costume a lifestyle. Sheeties can't even be described as "silly" because it's so rich with laugh-inducers and understands, in a light manner, the structure of sub-cultures.
Summer Of The Zombies (2011) Written & Directed by Eddie Beasley and Ashleigh Nichols
While we're in the zombie burnout of the 21st century, Summer still manages to squeeze originally from this fruit. An 11 minute tickler, Beasley and Nichols inject character into their zombies that deconstruct common notions of what a zombie is and does.
*Honorable mention to Bree Newsome's southern gothic tale Wake (watch on YouTube here) which I discussed in a horror series over at Black Girl Nerds!
Image: Girl in pumpkin mask and ghost in the street. By Guille Faingold