Fans of horror movies are some of the most loyal among the various film genres. The constant sense of anticipation about that unexpected scene where the villainous character pops out of nowhere, amid an eerie and dark atmosphere, coupled with the scary music in the background feeds their desire to continue watching. No matter how much of a horror film aficionado you think you are, the following short films will make you petrified. We strongly suggest you watch these with someone.
Lights Out
In under three minutes, this unnerving film takes a simple premise—fear of the dark—and masterfully evokes primordial horror. Are you sure you aren’t just imagining things?
The Maiden
A mansion is haunted by demonic spirits in this gripping short, featuring great cinematography to boot. Directed by Michael Chaves
The 3:07 AM Project
Timed to the release of The Conjuring, VICE tapped four of indie horror’s top directors from around the world to create one-minute shorts. Inspired by the theme “3:07 AM,” this short anthology features entirely different approaches to the genre: found footage, a nightmare-come-true, a one-shot slow burn jump-scare, and a creepy investigation of a shipwreck.
Guilt
With nearly a half hour runtime, this is by far the longest short on our list, but it’s also one of the best standalone films, regardless of genre. Shot in the picturesque Faroe Islands, this haunting film features stunning cinematography washed in muted purple-gray tones.
Intruders
Cinematic and exquisitely shot, this Slamdance and TIFF alum is high on atmosphere, though low on narrative. It’s worth seeing if just for its precise and haunting imagery. Directed by Santiago Menghini
Bedfellows
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and wondered if the person sharing your bed was still there? At just two minutes, this short will make you never want to ask that question again. Directed by Drew Daywalt
Mama
When Guillermo del Toro saw this short, he said, “it was one of the scariest little scenes I’ve ever seen.” In fact, he found it so scary that he commissioned a feature-length version from the director. Directed by Andres Muschietti.
