One of the reasons why the Portland Horror Film Festival is so great is because the fest really champions short films just as much as it does feature films. Day 1 brought audiences ten short horror films. Each one felt completely unique and delivered a range of horror subgenres. Below are mini reviews of all the short films shown on the first day of PHFF, including the short film preceding the feature film, as well as the bumper short film.

MONSTRUM OPUS (Preceding Short) – Written and Directed by Nalbeat Kwon

The first short film of PHFF screened before Alma & the Wolf. Monstrum Opus follows a ragtag indie film crew filming a zombie movie when a real zombie apocalypse crashes their set. At first, audiences will likely fall in love with the depiction of how chaotic an indie film set is, as well as how adaptable filmmakers in that position need to be when things fall apart. Then they will laugh at the humor and camp sprinkled throughout. It’s an outrageous ride with great performances by Chynna Walker (The Imposters) and Cedric Gegel (The Coroner’s Assistant), along with fantastic practical effects to create the zombies. Overall Rating: 4/5

BLOOD RUN (Bumper) – Written and Directed by Steven Jackley

Creating a short film bumper is often a difficult task because the filmmaker has to create something memorable with a very limited runtime. Jackley is no stranger to this, having created bumper short films for PHFF in the past. Blood Run is a 60-second short film that depicts exactly what the title says, a woman covered in blood while running. We never see what she’s running from or why she’s covered in blood, but there is still plenty of tension. As the girl runs, she constantly glances behind to make sure she’s not being followed. It makes the audience want to know what happened, but even more, it makes them anxious to discover who, or what, might be following. Overall Rating: 4/5

CATCH AND EXTERMINATE – Written and Directed by Summer Purks

This is likely the most adorable, wholesome short film of the entire fest. Catch and Exterminate is a claymation style animated short film about an exterminator named Elliot called by a homeowner to get rid of a bat. Once there, she realizes this “bat” is more than she bargained for. The animation is stunning and feels like a new Halloween classic with it’s vibrant blue, green, and purple color palette. It also incorporates some great music that perfectly matches the creepy and cute aesthetic. Audiences will love the visuals, as well as the music, and are sure to be completely enchanted by the story. This is a short film I could easily imagine turning into a feature length film or a series. Overall Rating: 5/5

VIRGIN – Written and Directed by Ramone Menon

With Menon’s latest short film, he took a familiar biblical story and gave it a horror spin. It’s the tale of the birth of Jesus Christ, but this time sinister, demonic forces arise to stop it. This is something many horror fans likely haven’t seen done before, providing a fresh take on a story most know quite well. Jessica Damouni (Inspector Ike) is electric as the virginal mother, Miryam. There are a few good jump scares in this short film to go along with the strong performances, but the retelling adds a rather unpleasant domestic violence angle. It also seems to get repetitive and drag a bit, despite being just 14 minutes long. Overall Rating: 2.5/5

DON’T TELL YOUR MOM – Written and Directed by Topher Graham

This 80’s-inspired horror comedy showcases the seedy business of selling blood to vampires. It’s barely over 7 minutes long, but Don’t Tell Your Mom packs quite a punch. It has a certain type of cheeky humor, making the story playful despite the darker, bloody themes. The entire cast is fantastic including Jesse Incocalla (Totally Killer), Mark Elliott, and Ariel Hansen. Adding to this short film’s appeal is a stellar 80’s musical score and some delightfully gory practical effects makeup. It’s goofy, it’s fun, and it delivers the camp horror fans eat up. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

CRUELTY – Written and Directed by Sam Das

Cruelty is certainly one of my favorite short films at this year’s PHFF. It follows a young trans woman as she tries to escape a menacing man by hiding in a junkyard. Once inside the metal maze, a sinister force turns the tables on the stalker and his would-be prey. Das has taken a familiar concept in horror and given it a thrilling, feminist spin by incorporating the Hindu goddess, Kali. It leads to some absolutely breathtaking visuals that are as beautiful as they are horrifying. Plus, if you’re a millennial who devoured every season of America’s Next Top Model, you might recognize Isis King giving a great horror performance. This is a short film I would love to see as a feature. Overall Rating: 5/5

LA VEDOVA NERA – Written and Directed by Fiume and Julian McKinnon

This short film follows a young Italian student studying in France when he crashes his bike outside an erotic cinema. Needing a place to shelter from an incoming storm, he becomes drawn into the darkened web of the theater. La Vedova Nera is a fascinating piece of queer horror that seems to have been inspired by giallo films and porn from the 1970’s and 80’s. It transports the audience to a different place and time with stunning camera work and editing. While there are some unexplained elements, and it plays into a longstanding horror trope of the queer villain, it’s impossible to not become entranced by the beauty and the intrigue. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

FREE PANCAKES – Directed by Lije Morgan

This short and sweet little film is two minutes of animated chaos. Reminiscent of popular early 2000’s online animated videos like “Happy Tree Friends,” Free Pancakes depicts adorable bunnies who follow a sign for free pancakes, but then get much more than they bargained for. There is something both shocking and hilarious about seeing adorable little animated creatures meeting a brutal, violent fate. While some might wish there was a bit more to the story, it’s certainly short and cavity-sweet. The animation style is eye-catching, giving a mixed media appearance audiences will remember. Overall Rating: 3.5/5

MRS. CHANG’S PERFECT TEETH – Written and Directed by Karen Lam

This Canadian short tells the story of a Chinese immigrant hired to work at a high-end foot massage parlor. When she realizes she will have to make some personal changes to become successful, it takes the young woman down a bizarre path. The plot itself is interesting in how it depicts the struggle of immigrants arriving in a new country, yet there are some nightmarish surprises. Every time you think you know what’s about to happen, Lam manages to keep everyone guessing. Horror fans will love the twisted story, unsettling imagery and sound design, and the performances by Tina Pi (The Monkey) and Elizabeth Moy (From). Overall Rating: 4/5

THE BIRDWATCHER – Written by Lachlan Marks and Directed by Ryan Mackfall

Bringing the cosmic horror, this short film follows two investigators searching a birdwatching hut that is the last known location of a missing man. The more they piece together his final moments, the bigger the mystery gets. The Birdwatcher is beautifully shot, transporting the audience to a different place and time. The visual storytelling is compelling, especially in the editing style and the increasingly strange images shown on screen. Adding to the sights is some incredible sound design that worms into the viewer’s brain. The biggest downside is simply that there is too much going on in a very short amount of time, leading to far more questions than answers. Yet the story is intriguing enough many will surely hope to see the mystery explored in a feature-length format. Overall Rating: 3/5