PAREIDOLIA (2023)
Director Aaron Truss’s shock short Pareidolia — a word meaning the phenomenon of our minds attempting to make meaningful images out of patterns or objects when one does not exist, such as seeing a cloud in the shape of a sheep — is a fantastic work boasting top-notch production values, a cast featuring some familiar genre-film favorites, and an intriguing story that is ripe for being made into a full-length feature. Lecturer Sinead Chambers (genre legend Diane Franklin of Amityville II: The Possession [1982], Waking Nightmare [2023], and about 50 other acting credits) has begun experiencing pareidolia in increasingly disturbing ways, which she discusses with her friend Jean Clark (Carolyn Pickles of The Yellow Wallpaper [1989]), while priest Father Cavanagh (Graham Cole) makes a shocking discovery at a mortuary involving a very peculiar demise. Aaron Truss, working from a screenplay by Aiden Truss, invests Pareidolia with an eldritch atmosphere, a fast-paced approach, and a gripping dash of mystery. Pareidolia works as both a standalone short and as a proof of concept for a feature film. I’m hoping that Aaron and Aiden Truss get the opportunity to show us more of this eerie, dread-filled vision of theirs.
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY (2023)
Director Sebastiano Pupino’s short Rain, Rain, Go Away, filmed in London, combines elements of giallo and experimental films in its exploration of memory and trauma. Clari (Carolina Lopes) is a young woman who viewers first meet as she is getting her first tattoo, a flower on her wrist because flowers remind her of her recently deceased grandfather (Mike Sweeney-Collier), who used to bring her flowers whenever it rained, as she remembers. A call for the first time in years from a childhood friend shocks Clari, bringing back horrifying memories from the past and leading to a desperate act certain to make even seasoned fear-fare viewers wince. Shot with a classic giallo color palette and featuring imagery of flowers throughout — along with usage of the titular children’s song that becomes quite impactful as the story unfolds — Rain, Rain, Go Away delivers a gripping take on a real-life horror presented through a horror cinema lens. Pupino, working from a screenplay by Thalia Kent-Egan, has crafted a thought-provoking, emotional short that features Lopes in a striking performance.
Pareidolia and Rain, Rain, Go Away screened as part of the 2023 Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, which ran August 24–28 in London. For more information, visit https://frightfest.co.uk/.
