Saturday, June 10th was a big day for short films at the Portland Horror Film festival. Dubbed the “Shorts Extravaganza” day at the festival, a whopping 22 short films screened at the Clinton Street Theater. With so many short films to discuss, let’s dive right in!

WORMIES – Written and Directed by Octavian Kaul

The day kicked off with the world premiere of an 80’s throwback creature feature, Wormies. Octavian Kual’s short horror film tells the story of a suburban family in the 80’s as they’re forced to overcome their issues when the hottest new toy turns into something deadly. This short film is so fun and is surprisingly heartfelt. Despite being a small, family made short horror film, the production design looks professionally made. The performances are well done, and the creature design feels reminiscent of your favorite B-movies from the golden age of horror. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

WHO’S THERE – Written and Directed by Desmond Levi Jackson

This creepy little short horror film shows an artist struggling to sketch a new piece, especially since he can’t shake the feeling something is in his apartment. The short features an intense performance from D.K. Uzoukwu (Commune) as the tortured artist. Along with this great performance, there is wonderful lighting and sound design used to create a constant sense of danger. Desmond Levi Jackson does a wonderful job of building tension and tricking the eye as the short careens to an inevitable, yet exciting end. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

HE WATCHES – Written and Directed by Joshua Conkel

He Watches, written and directed by Joshua Conkel (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), follows Tom and Mikey, a couple who recently moved in together, as they deal with relationship issues, as well as something paranormal within their home. This gripping short horror film has a fascinating plot, combining relationship fears that many people experience with a haunting inspired by Conkel’s own house. The paranormal element helps to emphasize those relationship fears, and it conveys a type of haunting I’ve yet to see in a film. The performances from the two leads, Marc Bendavid (Bitten) and Matthew Wilkas (Matt and Dan), are wonderful and add to the drama of the short. This is one short I hope evolves into a feature-film. Overall Rating: 4/5

THREE HOUSES DOWN – Written and Directed by Ty Huffer

Even with PHFF taking place in June, there were still holiday horrors to be had in the form of writer and director Ty Huffer’s short film, Three Houses Down. In the short, a woman learns that naughty children get more than coal on Christmas Eve. It’s 7 minutes of violence, carnage, and hilarious holiday hijinks. Most of the mayhem includes practically done effects, which might not look the best but definitely adds to the fun, B-movie feel. The short is definitely lean and mean, focusing more on the action over plot, but it still makes for a great time. Overall Rating: 3/5

BOOKWORM (Ratón de Biblioteca) – Written by Elisa Lucía and Directed by Javier Yañez Sanz

Based on a manga written by Amagappa Shoujogun, Bookworm is a tale of a shy young librarian who becomes infatuated with a ghost who haunts her library. This short comes all the way from Spain and tells a very haunting, stunning story. The performance from Aria Bedmar as librarian and aspiring writer Irene is so endearing. This is the kind of short that appeals to “spicy” book readers, but with a horrifying twist to appeal to horror fans. Audiences are sure to be drawn into this beautifully shot and told short horror film right up until the shocking end. Overall Rating: 4/5

CONSUMER – Written and Directed by Stephanie Izsak

Social media can be a toxic place, especially for young people. Consumer combines comedy, horror, and social commentary to show a teenage girl who resorts to drastic measures to become as skinny as possible. The short film really speaks to how toxic social media can be, especially on a young woman’s body image, and the dysmorphia it creates. It’s something many viewers can relate to, and the filmmakers use horror perfectly to show how dangerous extreme weight loss gimmicks can be. With great performances and a powerful message, Consumer is a short I hope many young people see. Overall Rating: 4/5

COVER YOUR EARS – Written and Directed by Oskar Johansson

This Swedish short film shows two sisters going through a strange nightly routine to block out the things that come out at night. Cover Your Ears has a very interesting premise, but I think it doesn’t give the audience enough. It’s the kind of short that could really benefit from expanding the plot and adding more context so the audience has a better idea of what is happening to the sisters. That being said, it’s quite beautifully shot and has a few striking, frightening images that are sure to haunt viewers. Overall Rating: 3/5

NIGHT SHIFT – Written Karlee Boon & Shade Standard, Directed by Karlee Boon

This was one of my most anticipated short films at PHFF this year. When a teenage waitress is attacked by a strange animal one night, she goes through changes that allow her to stand up against her small-town tormentors. Feeling like a combination of Ginger Snaps and Thelma & Louise, Night Shift is a 28-minute long short film telling that covers themes of bullying, gendered double-standards, small town conservatism, transformation, and the bonds of friendship. It includes wonderful performances from the two leads, Marlowe Eduvijes Ostara and Chynna Rae Shurts (The Last Slay Ride), wonderful music by Mel Guérison, gorgeous lighting, and fun practical effects. There’s a lot to love about this short. I truly hope it eventually becomes a feature film. Overall rating: 4.5/5

EVIL BANANA WIZARDS (Bumper) – Directed by Lora and Theo Friess

This minute-long short film feels like the bastard child of Ed Wood, John Waters, and Divine, and I mean that as a compliment. Filmmakers Lora and Theo Friess bring to life a short that is as strange as the title suggests, depicting evil banana wizards taking over the world. There isn’t necessarily a lot of substance to this short, but it’s clear that wasn’t the intention. Instead, audiences get a wild, campy ride of the most bizarre proportions. Overall Rating: 3/5

POOL PARTY – Written and Directed by Ellie Stewart

Teenage girls can be exceptionally cruel, especially towards anyone they view as an outsider. In Pool Party, Freya (Glen Dela-Cruz) is at a friend’s pool and slumber party. Already feeling like she doesn’t fit in, things only get worse when one of the other girls constantly teases her. This short utilizes horror in one of my favorite ways. It uses horror as a way to emphasize the “otherness” one can feel when they’re the only queer/trans person in the room. It’s a powerful story with a satisfying end audiences won’t want to miss. Overall Rating: 4/5

DAMNED SUPPER – Written and Directed by Ariel Hansen

It’s Halloween night and a group of wannabe witches come together for a special ritual meant to tell them their romantic future, but things take a Hellish turn. This short combines comedy with occult horror in a clever way. It also manages to include a few fun surprises. Writer and director Ariel Hansen is great at playing with the audience and never revealing the whole truth until the final moments of the short film. The jokes don’t always land, but the ones that do are sure to bring out the laughter. Overall Rating: 3/5

DON’T TURN OFF THE GHOST LIGHT – Written by Matthew Scott Montgomery and Directed by Allisyn Snyder

Terrance has a big role in a new play, so he stays at the theatre late to practice running his lines. When he accidentally turns off the ghost light, he soon discovers he’s not alone. This is a horror comedy made for the theatre kids. It saves the budget by having a simple set and minimal makeup and effects. Instead, the focus is on the dialogue between Chris Renfro (Queer as Folk) as the actor and Matthew Scott Montgomery (So Random!) as a ghostly visitor. It’s as funny as it is sweet and endearing with a healthy dose of the paranormal, having a little something for everyone. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

CENSUS – Written and Directed by Jason Affolder

A census worker going door to door enters a house she might not be able to escape from. On the surface, the short has strong performances and a creepy set that feels more like a maze than a house. Census has a lot of really fascinating supernatural elements, but none of them are fully explored. The short presents truly unique concepts that make it interesting. The problem is, the audience is forced to see and except these things without any further context. The idea is there, it simply needs more to make for a solid mythos. Overall Rating: 2.5/5

TEARS OF THE WITCH – Written by Erik Madsen & Christoffer Sandau Schüricht, Directed by Erik Madsen

Taking place in three different times, three different groups discover the hard way they’ve been caught in a witch’s trap. At first, Tears of the Witch was a bit confusing in how it showed three very different groups spanning decades apart. Yet by the end, the timelines connect in such a satisfying way. This short features one of the larger casts, and everyone is phenomenal. The way these filmmakers have 3 different plots, each with different tones, looks, and filming styles, but they tie together flawlessly by the end is a true feat. Overall Rating: 4/5

BANSHEES RIDGE – Written by Matthew Caffoe, Directed by Tristan Barr

This Australian horror short features a man dealing with the death of his daughter while searching for a missing girl in the Outback. Banshees Ridge is beautifully shot, with striking cinematography and creepy imagery, and the performances are great. The problem is, I don’t think it conveys its plot very well. If I hadn’t read the description ahead of time, I don’t think I would have understood the plot as well. The short has a lot of promise, it just needed a bit more plot added to the film. Overall Rating: 2.5/5

VRDLK: FAMILY OF VURDULAK – Written by Ellery Vandooyewert, Directed by Sam Chou

VRDLK: Family of Vurdulak was a true surprise at PHFF. In this animated horror short, audiences watch a young nobleman traveling through the wintery Serbian wilderness, unaware of the folkloric dangers ahead. Throughout the entire short, there’s a hilarious juxtaposition between the traveling man and everyone else around him. He’s arrogant, definitely a womanizer, and thinks he knows best. Seeing him next to the villagers living in the Serbian wilderness, with their strong superstitions, sets it up for there to be plenty of laughs along with the fairy tale terrors. The animation itself is also gorgeous and adds to the fantastical feel. This short could easily be turned into a feature-film, or even a TV series, and audiences would gobble it up. Overall Rating: 4/5

FIRST BLOOD – Written and Directed by Olivia Loccisano

At first glance, First Blood seems like the perfect short film for me. It shows a young girl going through an odd transformation after getting her first period. The general concept is great, and it includes some fascinating scenes that force the audience to confront any squeamishness they have about blood. Many of the visuals are beautiful, but the story does seem to be lacking. We know this girl is getting her first period and that something else is happening to her at the same time, but it’s never really entirely clear what that is or why the girl does certain things. It’s intriguing enough to make me want to know more, but as it is, there isn’t enough to the story. Overall Rating: 2.5/5

HIMS – Written and Directed by Krsy Fox

A mother and her young daughter try to adjust to their new lives after a divorce, but their lives take a dangerous turn when the daughter befriends a sinister being in her bedroom. Writer and director Krsy Fox (Underworld: Evolution) also stars in the film as the mother alongside her real-life daughter, Elle Riot Fox. Because these two are real-life mother and daughter, the on-screen chemistry between them is wonderful and loving. It makes it all the more frightening when the mother comes face-to-face with the evil entity her daughter calls “Hims.” It’s a story that plays into a mother’s worst fears with horrifying visuals to strike fear into the hearts of audiences everywhere. Overall Rating: 4/5

DEVOURED – Written by Thomas Chretien & James Kingstone, Directed by Thomas Chretien

In this short, a man must try to escape the monster in his bed. Devoured is a twisted short horror film that plays with the audience, taking its time to reveal what is real and what is imaginary. One thing I will say about this short film is that it takes a bit of brain power. Because it goes back and forth between reality, fantasy, and it even shows us different points in time, it can be a bit confusing while watching. With some thought, the pieces do fall into place. The film depicts something like a supernatural version of a spider, keeping its prey confined and powerless as it gradually feeds, and that is a horrifying premise. Overall Rating: 3/5

MAGGIE – Written by Simon Sylvester, Directed by James Kennedy

A private care worker goes to help an elderly man living alone, but she soon learns there is someone or something else in the house. Maggie is a beautifully shot short horror film telling a powerful story. It includes themes of loneliness, the way the elderly are often treated, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. The short also has wonderful performances from Shaun Scott (Moonknight) and Lukwesa Mwamba (Carnival Row). Audiences are sure to enjoy how Maggie manages to be both thought-provoking as well as unsettling. Overall Rating: 4/5

DITCHED – Written and Directed by Sloan Turner

A group of teens in the 90’s play a nighttime version of hide-and-seek in a corn field that takes a dark turn. This short film does a wonderful job of giving audiences something familiar like hide-and-seek, but altering it into something new like “ditched” so that there is still an element of the unknown. Throw the teens into a darkened corn field, and the potential for terror is great. The filmmakers smartly reveal just enough to let the audience know the dangerous, horrifying events unfolding before our eyes while still leaving certain aspects to our imagination. Is it supernatural? Is it alien? You decide. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

WHEN YOU’RE GONE – Written and Directed by Kristin Noriega

Writer, director, and star Kristin Noriega (Staring at the Sun) plays a woman going through heartbreak when her apartment is invaded by deadly subterranean creatures. What makes this short great is how it reveals a deep-rooted fear many people have; the fear of what will happen to us if we’re alone. While at first the short presents that scenario with the protagonist pondering her life as a single woman, it then shifts into what dangers will take us when there is no one there to protect us or notice when we’re not around. Some of the practical effects look a bit cheesy for the otherwise serious tone of the short film, but it’s still a compelling 17 minutes bringing inner fears to the surface. Overall Rating: 3.5/5