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CALL 154 (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Every night at 11:11, Toni get a call where she can hear herself being chased and killed by a eldritch horror. Now, It’s up to her to figure out how to stop the calls.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language
DIRECTOR: Matt Moeller
GENRE: Horror, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 28th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Matt Moeller has aspired to be a writer, director, and funnyman since living in Orlando, Florida in 2004 which is basically the cretaceous period at this point. He’s written a book about improv comedy, hosted a live show where he got romantically dumped on stage 20 times in one night, made a ton of little fun videos for Channel101 and YouTube, and now he’s full port into writing and directing horror shorts. This is probably the first you’ve heard of him and you’re unimpressed, but somewhat tickled at his self deprecation and meta humor. Wait, he’s standing behind you right now, isn’t he?
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CAVEWOMAN (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Cavewoman is the last human, living on a thriving planet in absence of human activity. In search for kinship, she finds herself in a variety of biological misadventures.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences, Mild Violence
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: None
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 24th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Christopher is a filmmaker that combines his passion for the natural sciences and science fiction and fantasy. Originally from Chicago, Christopher now resides in Los Angeles, working as freelance producer and making shorts that focus on practical filmmaking and high-concept ideas.
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CHÄIR (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Carl just wanted to sit down. The chair had other plans.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Chris McInroy
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Oct. 30th @ 8:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Chris makes horror-comedy short films. He likes werewolves and dipping chips in dips.
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CHASERS (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A starry-eyed musician navigates an LA party, chasing her crush while desperately dodging the heartbreaking secret that could shatter her pursuit. Official Selection, Sundance 2025.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language, Sensuality
DIRECTOR: Erin Brown Thomas
GENRE: Comedy, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: None
SCREENING DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 29th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Erin Brown Thomas is a writer, director, and producer whose latest project, CHASERS—a bold, 31-minute single-continuous-shot pilot— world premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and LA premiered at Slamdance, making it the first narrative project to be accepted into both festivals. She is the artistic Director of Salute Your Shorts Film Festival.
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CHEAT MEAL (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Suspicious that his girlfriend is cheating on him with her new personal trainer, Owen decides to take matters into his own hands. What he discovers is far more difficult to digest.
RATINGS GUIDE: Language, Violence
DIRECTOR: Drew Bierut
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Block #4 – Comedy Shorts
DIRECTOR’S BIO: N/A
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TRAILER: Coming Soon!
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CHIPS OR CRACKERS (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A simple goodbye turns into an awkward predicament.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Michael Gabriele
GENRE: Comedy, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 24th @ 8:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Inspired by a lifelong passion for filmmaking, Michael Gabriele has directed an array of short films, commercials, music videos, and VR content, earning him multiple awards. He continues to make meaningful connections with people through his films, which are focused on making an emotional impact.
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CROWDED OUT (USA)
SYNOPSIS: During a desperate search for parking in the city, Owen picks up a strange hitchhiker who offers help, but instead gives unwanted opinions, and leads to more hitchhikers.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: Brian Lederman
GENRE: Horror, Comedy, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Oct. 30th @ 11:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Brian is an emerging filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. His last short, “”Pushover””, screened at festivals like Beyond Fest, deadCenter, and Edmonton International, won awards at Montclair and Macon, was featured in MovieMaker Magazine, and eventually had its wide release on Omeleto. In his spare time, he cooks a perfectly adequate coconut chicken curry.
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DADDY IS A HUNTER (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A school counselor meets with a troubled student where he learns about the boy’s intense at-home life, his father’s late night desertions, and a monstrous secret beneath it all.’
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Marcus Fahey
GENRE: Horror, Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 24th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Marcus Fahey is a Japanese-American filmmaker based in New York City. He has directed numerous short films and music videos, winning acclaim at international festivals with European co-productions for his writing, as well as premiering short films at countless festivals across the country. Marcus’ work has been featured in publications such as DesignBoom Magazine, showcasing his low budget filmmaking throughout multiple genres.
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TRAILER: Coming Soon!
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DAWN OF THE ICK (IRELAND)
SYNOPSIS: An activist tries to ignore a mysterious syndrome afflicting local women, until she sees her fiancé’s haircut.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Strong Language, Brief Nudity, Sensuality
DIRECTOR: Jeremy Stuart Thompson
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Block #4 – Comedy Shorts
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Nell is a writer and director from Ireland. Dawn of the Ick is her debut short film, showcasing her darkly comic, character-driven storytelling. Her work explores bold, absurd female perspectives and the raw, unapologetic humour of Irish women.
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DEAD END (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Trapped inside a family minivan, a father is forced to reckon with the consequences of his actions as his family slowly disappears.
RATINGS GUIDE: Intense / Scary Images, Adult Content, Mild Language
DIRECTOR: Juan Gil
GENRE: Horror, The Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: TBD
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 24th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Juan Gil is a Latino Writer/Director living in Los Angeles. Juan has received recognition for his productions at festivals such as the Sony Pictures Cine Sony Short Film Competition (Grand Prize Winner), the Oscar® Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival, ScreenCraft Horror Competition (Finalist), Stage 32 Short Film Competition (Finalist), the HBO New York Latino Film Festival, the Dances With Films Festival, the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the Official Latino Film Festival (Outstanding Director), the Cordillera International Film Festival (Nominated for Best Drama), the World-Fest Houston International Film Festival (Remi Winner), and the American Advertising Awards (Best of Show).
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TRAILER: Coming Soon!
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DEATH RED (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Outlawed in 1984, the paint known as “”Death Red”” was found to contain a serial killer’s victims. Legend warns that using it and uttering the phrase “”open their eyes”” awakens the souls within. Now, a young artist dares to use it for her magnum opus.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense & Scary Imagery
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: USA Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 25th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Mitch Glass is a writer and director whose work spans horror and science fiction. His shorts Box 616 and Again have appeared on Gunpowder & Sky’s DUST, where they reached large international audiences, and have been featured by outlets including Gizmodo and Slash Film.
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DEEP DISH DIMPLES (USA)
SYNOPSIS: When Gio, a Black trans man, calls his best friend Lazette for help with a body, the two are pulled into an unexpected confrontation with the past. As whispers of family wounds and unresolved trauma echo through the night, Gio must face a surreal encounter with his pre-transitioned self.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: MANUEL VILLARREAL
GENRE: Horror, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 28th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: MANUEL VILLARREAL is a queer first-generation Mexican-American writer and director whose work explores grief through a fantastical lens. His latest film Deep Dish Dimples, starring Brian Michael Smith and Angelica Ross, was created through Film Independent’s Project Involve Directing Fellowship and continues to screen at festivals nationwide. Villarreal is also an alumnus of the mitú x Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship, where he directed El Colibrí, which has garnered over 30,000 views on YouTube. An AFI Conservatory graduate, he hopes his work helps audiences believe in magic again, because even the darkest places hold the most light.
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DEFILE (CANADA)
SYNOPSIS: A couple’s secluded getaway is interrupted by a strange family who exposes them to the horrors that lie beyond the tree line.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: Brian Sepanzyk
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 24th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Having spent years on set as an AD in feature film and then transitioning into VFX, Brian has used this first hand experience as his own film school. Since then, he has written and directed three award winning short films: Compulsion, In The Shadow Of God, and DEFILE.
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DEVIL’S PRISM (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Shown entirely from Gabi’s perspective, the film follows a thief who joins her friends for a routine heist which finds her in an unsettling encounter with a mysterious, evil object that unleashes a dark entity, possessing her.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: Kika Magalhães
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: RegionalPremiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Oct. 30th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Portuguese actress Kika Magalhães starred in Sundance hit “”The Eyes of My Mother””. Based in the U.S., she extended her career into writing, producind and now directing bold, dark stories. She trained in Meisner technique and speaks fluently three languages.
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DONT WATCH THIS (USA/COLOMBIA)
SYNOPSIS: A woman slowly realizes she’s a character in a movie. As she spirals in terror, everyone around her dismisses her as delusional-unaware that she’s the only one who knows we are watching.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language, Adult Content
DIRECTOR: Daniel ????
GENRE: The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Block #1 – Horror & Thriller Shorts
DIRECTOR’S BIO: The Colombian-born, Los Angeles-based creative first broke out in 2016 via his first feature documentary Fight Like a Boss, which won the Best of Fest award at the First Glance film festival, in addition to being accepted to multiple festivals. Daniel’s career began in music video / commercials production and editing, where he directed spots for international brands like IWC and edited commercials for respected companies such as Coca-Cola, LEGO, Samsung, Purina, and more. He also produced and edited captivating music videos for renowned artists like Ricky Martin, Sebastián Yatra and Christina Aguilera among others. Driven by his passion for storytelling, Daniel has transitioned from music videos and commercials to narrative work. He has directed three short films, which have been recognized and showcased at various Oscar Qualifying film festivals.
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dont.4get2smile (USA)
SYNOPSIS: After receiving a chilling call about a classmate’s unexpected death, a social-media-obsessed teen is followed by a mysterious account. Worried that it’s all connected, she begins to fear that the account’s reach extends far beyond the limits of her phone screen.
RATINGS GUIDE: Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTOR: Stefano Alessandro Pennisi
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Nov. 1st @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Stefano is a Producer and Director based in Brooklyn, New York with over 15 years of experience working in adverting and marketing. During his free time he pursues his passion and creates independent projects. dont.4get2smile is is 3rd independently produced short film and his breakthrough into the horror genre.
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DREAM MACHINE (USA)
SYNOPSIS: An immigrant auto-shop mechanic watches as the technological marvel of flying cars strips away his livelihood — threatening his marriage and challenging his belief in the American Dream.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Language
DIRECTOR: Dan Egan
GENRE: Sci-Fi, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Oct. 30th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Dan Egan is an award-winning Australian-Canadian filmmaker, now based in Los Angeles. A lover of genre movies and magical realism, Dan sees film as an opportunity to create impossible worlds. His credits include psychological horror short, I Hear It Too, which premiered at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival (MUFF) — and retro-futuristic drama, Dream Machine, which won Best Sci-Fi at LA Shorts International Film Festival in 2025.
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TRAILER: Coming Soon!
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DRIFTERS (CANADA)
SYNOPSIS: A romantic hike in the wilderness takes a dark turn when Ness pushes her partner, a former astronaut named Tal, to confront a difficult truth by overlaying it with a cherished memory. When revealed, Ness is reluctantly forced to share a secret of her own, with world-breaking connotations. In the end, two tragic pasts shine light upon a new path forward.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Adrian Bobb
GENRE: Sci-Fi, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: International Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Monday, Oct. 27th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Adrian Bobb is an award-winning writer and director based in Toronto, Canada with 15 years in the film, TV, and videogame industry. With an interest in all things science-related, Adrian has worked for Natural History museums, Universities, and educational programs in the past, and while his interests are primarily in genre storytelling, his inspirations always lie in the natural world.
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DUAL (USA)
SYNOPSIS: When an expecting couple retreats to their cabin in the woods during a global crisis, they discover the real threat to their security is more familiar than foreign.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Mild Language
GENRE: Sci-Fi, The Beyond, Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Sunday, Oct. 26th @ 1:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Nitasha and Declan have been together since high school. They attended NYU where Nitasha majored in dramatic performance and Declan in film production. They married shortly after graduation and began working as stunt professionals. Together they stunt coordinated the fan favorite Marvel series Jessica Jones for Netflix as well as second unit directed the hit CBS/NBCU series FBI: Most Wanted, which garnered them three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. They hope Dual will create more opportunities for them as filmmakers.
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DUNWICH (USA)
SYNOPSIS: In the small town of Dunwich, Deputy Jones sets out to check on his estranged friend Sam, a loner with a troubling past connected to the town’s dark secrets and supernatural rumors. Upon arriving at Sam’s isolated home, tensions escalate when he discovers Sam distraught, wielding a knife. The reunion unearths past traumas from their youth, linked to the night Sam’s mother mysteriously disappeared.
RATINGS GUIDE: Language, Adult Content, Intense & Scary Imagery
DIRECTORS: Chris Marrone and Chris S. Gabriel
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Oct. 31st @ 6:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Chris Marrone and Chris S. Gabriel are a directing duo blending bold genre storytelling with emotional depth and visual precision. Marrone, an accomplished writer, producer, and actor (The Girl in the Backseat, Stop Whining & Start Winning with Sam Raimi), brings a grounded intensity and deep knowledge of cinematic performance. Gabriel, an award-winning filmmaker and first-generation American, explores the unknown through personal themes of fear, identity, and transformation. Their debut feature Dunwich reimagines Lovecraftian horror through a modern, character-driven lens. Melding cosmic terror with raw humanity. Together, they aim to push the boundaries of genre while telling stories that feel both epic and intimately real.
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