Shorts
This year’s program features nineteen films, from seven different countries. You’ll see work involving established and well-known names, such as Alex (The Crow) Proyas and Margaret Cho, as well as film-makers who are just starting out on their cinematic journeys. There are subtle, understated exercises in fear, and over-the-top gleeful splatter. Ghosts, monsters, serial killers and madness can all be found in here. And if you don’t like one? Don’t worry, there’ll be another along in just a few minutes… Here are the details of all the shorts, which you can see at FearCon 2021.
Program A – 7 pm, Friday
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The Prop Master (USA, 19 min)
Dir: Noah Temple
A talented Prop Master, entangled in past trauma, makes a dark choice to complete her commission on time. |
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Pick Up Artist (Germany, 3 min)
Dir: Mario Alexander Schuster
A guy jogs at night listening to a “how-to-pick-up-girls” tutorial. Trying to improve his pick-up-game. Suddenly a girl appears right in front of him also jogging. Perfect moment to use the tips from the tutorial. If only the girl wasn’t running away all the time…but wait…why is she running at all? |
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Escalation (Italy, 15 min)
Dir: Christian Bachini
In the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Chris, a paranoid and self-centered man, is happily avoiding all human contact, preferring to escape from reality in whatever is on TV. When a friend reaches out to him to confront him about his past promises, Chris has to decide what kind of person he is inside, or it may just eat him…alive. |
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Day Break (USA, 1 min)
Dir: Louisa Phung
On the edge between awake and asleep is where nightmares become real. |
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Koreatown Ghost Story (USA, 15 min)
Dir: Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum
In this supernatural horror tale based on a Korean ritual, and starring Margaret Cho and Lyrica Okano, a woman entertains a macabre marriage offer that would let her pursue her dreams, for better or for much, much worse. |
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Hold Your Breath (USA, 15 min)
Dir: Kameron Gates
A masked intruder strikes during a midnight swim on Halloween reminding Molly that the shadows of the past can be deadly. |
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Golem (Australia, 5 min)
Dir: Ryan Cauchi
Nazi-occupied Prague, 1939. A group of German soldiers search for a fugitive Rabbi in the basement of an abandoned synagogue – unaware of the horror awaiting them. |
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Dice (USA, 13 min)
Dir: Michael Squid
A man facing financial troubles stumbles across a bizarre and sinister solution to his predicament. He soon finds himself in a spiraling descent into darkness as dependence takes the reins. |
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The Last Christmas of the Universe (Spain, 15 min)
Dir: David Muñoz, Adrián Cardona
From the creators of Fist of Jesus. December 25 of next year. Humanity has gone to hell and only a few survive eating each other. Santa Claus comes to bring toys, but in a world without good children, he will have to use them as deadly weapons. |
Program B – 5 pm Saturday
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Wich (USA, 5 min)
Dir: Anthony Williams
It seemed like any ordinary day. Until it wasn’t. |
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Mask of the Evil Apparition (Australia, 20 min)
Dir: Alex Proyas
Olivia, a young woman with no memory, searches a deserted nocturnal city looking for something or someone. Only problem is she can’t remember who or what. She encounters twin brothers who may be her salvation, but one of them warns her that the “Mysterious Ones” a nefarious group of clones are after her. And another woman in disguise also offers to help, but can she be trusted?
A short film about identity, made entirely with virtual production. A story from the cinematic universe created by Proyas with his own Dark City (1998). |
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Broke Up (USA, 5 min)
Dir: Alex Montilla
After a tough split, a girl takes a “me day” to help her move on. |
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The Rules (USA, 2 min)
Dir: Bianca Luedecker
A predator and prey story that explores the question, what happens when the rules of society prevent us from reaching our full potential? |
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Room 1403 (USA, 9 min)
Dir: Masaaki Mitsuyasu
A young, curious tenant is sternly warned by her landlord to not opening a closet door. |
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How to Wash your Hands during the Downfall of Civilization (Argentina, 43 seconds)
Dir: Federico Sproviero
Luna washes her hands while everything falls apart. |
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The Snail (USA, 17 min)
Dir: David Charles Bird
Snails are hermaphrodites that can reproduce sexually or by stabbing their partner with a “Love Dart”. Snails can only make their own love dart once they have been stabbed by one. Nate, trying to come out of his shell and meet new people at a party, encounters a strange seductive woman. After a one night stand goes wrong, his life is changed in strange ways. |
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The Shack (USA, 15 min)
Dir: Dark Hoffman
A father and son’s hunting trip goes terribly wrong. |
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Test Footage (UK, 5 min)
Dir: Doiminic Evans
When a simple read-through goes awry the test footage captures something that definitely isn’t meant to be seen by the general public. |
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Smiles (Spain, 13 min)
Dir: Javier Chavanel
Borja is about to meet his girlfriend´s parents. This is going to be a tricky moment, and potentially awkward. However, he couldn’t even imagine what he’s going to suffer next. The best way to overcome the situation? Put on a smile, and wait… |
