7 Scary Shorts Out Of Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2022
It is I, the self-proclaimed short queen! I just finished watching all the shorts at this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, and I’m ready to talk about my favorites. This BHFF brought out the creepy, disturbing, and just plain wrong. They had over forty shorts divided into seven blocks demanding attention for many reasons. My favorite block overall was “Creeping Terror” because it was just as stressful as it sounds. Most of my favorites of the fest were in that block, and I hope I see them again soon. Anyways, here are the seven shorts from the festival that I need to talk about today!
Listen To Mother
Directed By. Jamie Gyngell
A social worker gets in over his head on a visit to an isolated farmhouse where a young boy has been left alone. This short was unsettling from beginning to end. The vibe is the intersection of WTF and unnerving. So, of course, I lived, and I want nothing but the best for it.
OST
Directed by Abichoke Chandrasen
While working on a horror film score, a sound design assistant becomes the target of a demon that has a deadly fascination with her job. I’m a sucker for people working on horror movies being haunted in horror movies. This short hit the right notes for me. I liked the acting and getting to see a bit of a fake scoring process.
Death In A Box
Directed By Simeon Gregory
A mysterious organic box appears floating above the ground just outside of town. Samara convinces her best friend Ava to check out the box and its sinister revelations quickly unfold. This short was predictable, but I enjoyed the friends I made along the way. It also made the moment I was waiting for an event. Highly recommend it.
Aftertaste
Directed by Christianne Cruz
Following the death of her mysterious grandma, a young chef is haunted during her first night of service at a Michelin-star kitchen. This one creeped me out while hitting me in the feels. Most of us have had to work for shitty people the same day a family member dies. However, the added stress of a kitchen of this magnitude made me want the gift to be a vengeful spirit.
Chaperone
Directed by Sam Max
An unnamed figure picks up a young man in his car. As the two drive together, and settle into an austere rental house in the country, the details of their arrangement become guttingly clear. I thought this was going to be a quick and easy short about a weird hookup. Luckily, they didn’t waste Zachary Quinto’s time with something so basic. It started taking its turn early, and by the time it was done my brain needed a pause.
Mom Vs. Machine
Directed by Tesh Guttikonda
A mother must compete with a sentient food-making machine for her adult son’s affection in Tesh Guttikonda’s darkly comedic and genre-blending drama. This short is by far the cutest, weirdest, the most pleasant surprise of the bunch. It’s a great palate cleanser but also sneakily makes you think about how we lose ourselves in technology.
Tistlebu
Directed by Simon Matthew Valentine
As a young urban couple on a working holiday hopes to connect with nature at Tistlebu farm, a primordial power comes into play, changing them both forever. This short is three cursed images in a trench coat. I kept thinking I knew where it was going, but then it would go elsewhere. This short is sick, and I believe if it was a feature film it would be a Shudder original stressing us all out.
Let me know if you caught the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Shorts Program at @misssharai.
