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WAKE (USA)
SYNOPSIS: While dealing with an unforgiving family at her own husband’s wake, a woman discovers the sinister truth surrounding his death.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense
DIRECTOR: Andrew Patrick Torrez
GENRE: Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 4:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Andrew Patrick Torrez began studying all aspects of film production at a very young age, starting with making short films and putting on plays during kindergarten. Over the years he honed the powerful visual style which he brings to all his projects, as well as his formidable storytelling ability.
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WASTELAND (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Two rugged cowboys, stranded in a barren wasteland, play chess on a chest full of gold. Desert heat beats down on them as they face off in a winner-take-all game for the last bullet in a revolver.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
GENRE: Fantastic
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Nov. 6th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Michael Muchnij is an award winning writer, director and composer. A Phoenix-born Brooklynite, Muchnij was originally incubated as a storyteller writing musical scores for short films. Hybridizing his passion for composition with his love of writing and photography, Muchnij soon stepped into directorial roles. His formal debuts as a filmmaker were award-winning short films “Shutter” – a taut, time-bending study on voyeurism – and “Sweet Tooth” – a sugar-coated fable on one man’s stunted growth. Hosted on respected online horror outlet ALTER, the two films collectively aggregated over four million views, receiving 55K viewer “upvotes” in less than a year. Prioritizing narrative nuance and thematic duality, Muchnij refuses “truisms” and twists the tropes of traditional genre filmmaking in his commitment to fresh, vital storytelling.
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WATCH ROOM (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Lifelong friends and scientists Nate, Chloe and Bernard believe they are safely creating A.I. within virtual reality… until their creation learns it’s at risk of being shut down.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Language
DIRECTOR: Noah Wagner
GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 4th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Noah Wagner is an award-winning director, writer, and Los Angeles-based filmmaker, who specializes in ‘grounded genre’ and dark comedy. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, his work has appeared on HBO, NBC, BBC, VIMEO STAFF PICKS and THE NEW YORKER. His films have screened at festivals worldwide, including the Oscar-Qualifying Cleveland Int’l FF, Nantucket, London Sci-Fi and Sonoma, where his latest effort – existential AI thriller, WATCH ROOM – won the Jury Award for Best Dramatic Short and has since released to nearly 1 million views on DUST and Amazon. He’s also worked in varying capacities for THE DAILY SHOW, BBC, NICKELODEON, and HBO, where he spent close to a decade creating ancillary video and VR content for docs, sports, and series including WESTWORLD, SILICON VALLEY, BALLERS, and GAME OF THRONES. He is currently developing his first feature – a dark romcom called “The Dirty Oyster”, as well as a feature version of WATCH ROOM.
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WATCHER (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Hoping for a quiet night in, an older woman encounters an unwelcome intruder.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Meg Swertlow
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 1:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: MEG SWERTLOW is an award-winning, fellowship-getting, mentorship-grabbing screenwriter and director. In just the last 1.5 years, she’s written and directed five short films, optioned a romcom and been hired to write a feature film. Meg is determined to use her energetic personality and unique voice to tell female-forward stories about strong but flawed women. Meg was named one of ISA’s Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2021. She is also currently in Women in Film’s 2020-2021 Mentorship Program. Her horror feature, “No Overnight Parking,” which is currently being shopped, has won a bevy of accolades, including ISA’s Fast Track Fellowship genre winner, Grand Prize winner of Emerging Screenwriters’ Shoot Your Short, Runner Up at the Nightmares Film Festival, FilmQuest Finalist, Semi-Finalist in Women in Film’s Production Program and Finalist for the Filmmatic Horror Awards. An early draft of the script was also selected and workshopped at the 2018 Hedgebrook Screenwriters Lab. The Austin Film Festival called No Overnight Parking, “a picture-perfect slasher.”
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WE ALL DREAM (CANADA)
SYNOPSIS: “We All Dream” is a melancholy horror short film about a sleepwalking girl, a midnight mission for ice cream and the cost of growing up in a jaded world.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
DIRECTOR: Daniel Stark
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: International Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 4th @ 12:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Daniel Stark is a filmmaker living and working in Northern British Columbia, Canada, with the goal of surprising audiences with what is possible in rural Canadian communities. Taking inspiration from the communities around him, the movies he grew up with, and the over-active imagination that kept him from sleeping as a child, Daniel is making everything from narrative short films and documentaries to commercials and music videos with 6ix Sigma Productions and the rest of the local filmmaking community.
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WEEE WOOO (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A young woman wakes in the dead of night to a world devoid of sound. Yet, through the silence, she hears a mysterious call that draws her deep into the dark woods…
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Charlie McWade
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Oct. 30th @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Charlie has spent an expansive 30 year career in the arts. Performing in major motion pictures, network television, and Broadway theater, he’s worked with people like Ivan Reitman, Neil Simon, John Wells and Errol Morris. Charlie then began co-creating multiple genre TV series, with his first project garnering attention from Gale Anne Hurd (prod. The Walking Dead, Aliens, Terminator 1 & 2). With his original horror short Weee Wooo, Charlie is excited to make his directorial debut as he continues to develop multiple features, shorts, and series in the horror and sci-fi genres.
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WEIRDO (CANADA)
SYNOPSIS: When an odd boy is confronted by a bully, conflict leads to a grim conclusion.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Language, Intense
DIRECTOR: Ashlea Wessel
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Exclusive – Screens all dates Virtually via Horror Shorts #2 Block
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Ashlea Wessel is a Canadian filmmaker and photographer whose work uses elements of horror, sci-fi and fantasy as a framework to explore themes of social, political and personal upheaval. She tells her stories using an arresting visual style that couples stark realism with phantasmagoric flair.
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WELCOME TO OUR HOME (USA)
SYNOPSIS: When Brad brings his liberal girlfriend home to meet his conservative parents, tensions escalate and monsters are unleashed.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Language, Intense
DIRECTOR: Gregory M. Schroeder
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 4:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Gregory M. Schroeder completed his MFA in Producing from AFI Conservatory in 2019. His sci-fi/horror film PROGENY (2019), fantasy/comedy WITCHIN’ (2019) and drama film LIKE FLYING (2020) have won dozens of awards and screened at prestigious festivals worldwide. Gregory is also a writer/director, interested in genre filmmaking that explores the flaws in human communication and emotionality. His debut short film LAST LIGHT was completed in May 2021, and his second short film WELCOME TO OUR HOME was completed in July 2021.
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WHAT HAPPENED DOWNSTAIRS? (USA)
SYNOPSIS: While staying at an Airbnb in upstate New York, Robert and May find themselves in a haunted house. The problem is, they can’t remember anything that happens downstairs. Strap in for a horror comedy that bends genre, while embracing its core.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Language, Intense
DIRECTOR: Andrew Nisinson
GENRE: Horror, Comedy, Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 4th @ 8:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Andrew Nisinson is a writer/director/producer residing in Brooklyn, a mere train ride away from the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he was born and raised by a family of secular, Jewish artists and weirdos. As a child, he acted in plays like The Victory Project with Kevin Kline, Henry V at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and The Christmas Revels. As a teen he moved to Los Angeles to attend USC where he studied Theatre and Film. Upon graduating, Andrew began working as a cinematographer through most of his 20’s, shooting commercials and music videos for pop and hip hop stars (like Miley Cyrus, Santigold and Kanye West).
At 28, he began his directing career when the rappers J Cole and Bas, tapped him to direct music videos, and he was hired to do a global holiday campaign for Beats by Dre. Andrew is currently represented by Imposter (US) and Caviar (Europe). In 2019, with his partner Meilin, he founded Pyramyd Studios to produce his own work, and to help his friends make projects of their own. In addition to creating his own content, Andrew is passionate about helping the stories of fresh and marginalized voices get told. He has a beagle named Bella.
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WHAT IF FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A woman makes the most of a bad day
RATINGS GUIDE: Brief Nudity, Intense
DIRECTOR: Megan Duffy
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 1:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Megan Duffy is a working actor and filmmaker based in Los Angeles.
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WHAT THE SPELL? (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Loser at love Ryan and her best friend Leanne drunkenly cast a death spell on her cheating boyfriend. To their surprise and horror it actually works!
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Langauge, Intense
DIRECTOR: Krsy Fox
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 3rd @ 5:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Krsy Fox was born in British Columbia Canada. She began acting professionally at the age of twelve, appearing in the films Underworld Evolution, In The Land Of Women, Nightmare At The End Of The Hall, and the CW series Aliens In America. In addition to acting she has always had a passion for songwriting and music. She has written with numerous bands and artists, and garnered three number one radio hit songs and seven top ten singles with bands like Theory Of A Deadman and Halestorm. She has also toured internationally as the front woman of her own band Knee High Fox, and is planning a release of all new music with her latest band QUINN. Krsy began the production company OneFox Productions with fellow musician and filmmaker Spider One. After producing and directing several music videos, OneFox expanded to film, producing short films like 2020’s ‘What The Spell?’ which Krsy wrote, directed, and starred in. She has also adapted her short script for ‘What The Spell?’ into a feature script and is planning on diving into the feature in 2021.
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WICH (USA)
SYNOPSIS: It was an ordinary day… until it wasn’t.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Language, Intense
DIRECTOR: Anthony Williams
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Thursday, Nov. 4th @ 11:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Anthony is an award-winning writer / director who’s projects include The Dark Hunger, Third Wheel and Wich. He was also part of the winning team for Project Greenlight / Clive Barker’s Reel Fear.
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WITCH HUNT (USA)
SYNOPSIS: A vengeful keyboard warrior falls victim to his own game after a mysterious visitor arrives at his door.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Language, Adult Content, Intense
DIRECTOR: Evan Gorski
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 10:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Evan Gorski is a Boston-bred filmmaker with an immense passion for the horror genre. In 2015, he moved to LA and turned his passion into a career, taking the position of Director of Editorial for Jack Davis and Eli Roth’s horror-based production company, Crypt TV. Last year, Evan created a viral “Ultimate Survival Guide” with director Michael Dougherty, garnering recognition from The Hollywood Reporter. Evan’s latest directorial effort, “The Trick r’ Treat Ghoul Log,” can be found streaming on Shudder year-round.
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WOLF IN DUDE’S CLOTHING (CANADA)
SYNOPSIS: A starving wolf finds a suit of human skin, crawls inside, and becomes a man.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Intense
DIRECTOR: Solmund MacPherson
GENRE: Comedy, Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: Utah Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Nov. 6th @ 11:00 AM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Solmund MacPherson is a writer of small movies and a props guy of big ones. Sol’s creations have shown all over the world, won awards including Vimeo’s Staff Pick, and been described as “freaky,” “bizarre,” and “worrying” by one too many to be a coincidence.
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XIETY (USA)
SYNOPSIS: Val struggles to stay mentally present during a night out with friends. What may seem like a simple, fun, and relaxing night for others is physical and mental torture for Val.
RATINGS GUIDE: Intense
DIRECTOR: Carlos Torres & Karen Torres
GENRE: Beyond
PREMIERE STATUS: World Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 7:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Carlos and Karen Torres are a married creative duo. Individually, Carlos is a 2x Emmy winning Director & Editor. Karen is a Emmy nominated Director & working actor.
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YOU WILL NEVER BE BACK (SPAIN)
SYNOPSIS: Ana and David say goodbye like any other day. The young lady has plans, but she won’t be late. However, something extraordinary happens; something that alters her reality and changes everything completely.
RATINGS GUIDE: Intense
DIRECTOR: Mónica Mateo
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Exclusive – Screens all dates Virtually via Sci-Fi Shorts Block
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Writer, director and producer, Mónica has made short films like FOREVER YOUNG (2014), ADAM PEIPER (2015) or NO PODRÁS VOLVER NUNCA (2020), as well as like DEEP BLUE (fashion film, 2017) or I AM THE DARK (conceptual film, 2018). Now, Mónica is working on the development of the feature film LA CASA, project that obtained a script grant from the Community of Madrid in 2017 and which was selected at the 7th edition of MadridCrealab, and also works on the scripts of NO PODRÁS VOLVER NUNCA (feature film), EL PLACER MÁS ABSOLUTO (short film) and LADY R (series project).
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YUMMY (USA)
SYNOPSIS: When there’s a knock at the door… think twice before opening it.
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence, Intense
DIRECTOR: Russell Whaley
GENRE: Horror, Comedy
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Friday, Nov. 5th @ 1:30 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Russell Whaley, born and raised in Yorkshire, England had an interest in film at a young age. After moving to Los Angeles he started making short films with friends. His debut feature-length directorial effort DisOrientation, a college comedy premiered at Dances with Films Festival at the Hollywood Grauman’s Chinese Theater in 2012.
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ZEALANDIA (NEW ZEALAND)
SYNOPSIS: In 2032, Zealandia is the only virus free country left on earth at a high cost to its population. Could the bag carried by a fearless woman entering the country be the downfall of this oppressive state?
RATINGS GUIDE: Mild Violence
DIRECTOR: Bruno du Bois
GENRE: Sci-Fi
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Virtual Exclusive – Screens all dates Virtually via Sci-Fi Shorts Block
DIRECTOR’SBIO: BRUNO du BOIS: Belgium born; Bruno moved to New Zealand in 2006. Before “Zealandia”, Bruno directed another short “Serial Killer” which was selected in festivals around the world and won many awards such as “Best Director Award” at the Los Angeles Film Festival & the “Special Jury Price’ at Show Me Shorts (NZ). Bruno also worked as an Assistant Director on local and international productions such as “Hobbit Trilogy”, “Avatar”, “Ghost in the Shell” and “Mortal Engines”.
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ZTV SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (USA)
SYNOPSIS: In a post zombie apocalypse society, an infamous war criminal plots vengeance for the public execution of his daughter on a zombie infested capital punishment reality game show.
RATINGS GUIDE: Strong Violence, Strong Language, Adult Content, Intense
DIRECTOR: Jason Ragosta
GENRE: Horror
PREMIERE STATUS: Regional Premiere
SCREENING DATE: Saturday, Nov. 6th @ 2:00 PM
DIRECTOR’S BIO: Jason Ragosta is a writer, director, illustrator who is a San Francisco Bay Area filmmaker that created the ZTV universe in the form of the ZTV Sympathy for the Devil proof of concept short and the ZTV Undead Empire expanded universe comic book series. He also recently completed his short film Mother Love as part of the Sinphony: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology feature film.
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