The Slamdance film festival is renowned for presenting cutting edge feature films and shorts, and chillers and thrillers are definitely on the menu. Slamdance’s 31st edition will take place in Los Angeles from February 20-26, 2025. I’ve had an early peek at some of the offerings, and here present two features and three shorts that I highly recommend. Reviews are embargoed until after the festival starts, but fear-fare fanatics should find these films well worth a watch! My brief comments in italics appear after official synopses.
For full information on Slamdance’s in-person and virtual festival options for this year, visit https://slamdance2025.eventive.org/welcome.
Portal to Hell
Synopsis: Dunn (Trey Holland) is a debt collector. His life of routine is interrupted when a portal to hell appears in his local laundromat. A demon (Richard Kind) follows and explains in no uncertain terms that he’s there to drag Dunn’s neighbor, Mr. Bobshank (Keith David), to hell. Bobshank owes a debt. Helping people pay their debts is what Dunn does best.
A deal is offered — three souls to save Bobshank. Dunn says no. But one of his debtors follows him to the laundromat and, well . . . once you do one, what’s another two? Dunn makes good on his end of the bargain. But the portal stays. The demon explains. Who gets into heaven isn’t up to God or the Devil. It’s up to you. Bobshank hasn’t forgiven himself. Dunn can convince Bobshank to do just that. Or find a 4th soul. The question Dunn has to answer is if you throw away everyone that’s made mistakes, who’s left?
Writer/director Woody Bess has crafted a feature that offers much to feel and think about. Horror comedy fans should have a superb time with Portal to Hell.
Vimeo trailer here.
Trey Holland and Romina D’Ugo appear in this article’s featured image, which is courtesy of Portal to Hell LLC.
The Hole Story
Synopsis: When the Forest Service discovered a sixty-foot hole on Mount Shasta, the small community at its base immediately began to speculate. Was it simply an illegal gold mine? Was it the intrepid conspiracy theorist looking for a lost civilization? Or was it something more sinister? Will the truth come in the form of one man’s harrowing coming-of-age story? Or will this become yet another urban legend like the ones used by locals to lure tourists?
The conflicting theories ultimately form a portrait of a community in spiritual decline — and a cautionary tale about the nature of storytelling.
Though not horror, writer/director Elijah Sullivan’s documentary The Hole Story should appeal to aficionados of high strangeness and unsolved mysteries, and even bring back a bit of nostalgia to those who listened to Art Bell’s Coast to Coast AM radio program.
Slamdance is also serving up three of the wildest shorts you are likely to see this year!
Fishmonger
Synopsis: Fishmonger is a mutated Irish folk tale with horror and musical elements. In this supernatural dark comedy, a pathetic Irish fishmonger must survive a sex pact with an ancient sea creature in order to save his mother’s soul from burning in hell.
Director/cowriter (with Alex Dennis-Renner) Neil Ferron’s black-and-white slice of cinematic insanity serves up moments horrific, hilarious, and heart-wrenching. Lovers of brilliantly bizarre genre films should consider this short to be “can’t miss.”
Vimeo trailer here.
Chickenboy
Synopsis: Chickenboy is the story of a lonely farmer who accidentally creates a Chicken-Human hybrid. When faced with the creature of his own making he must decide: should he put it out of its misery, or accept it as the son he never knew he needed.
Writer/director/star Matthew Rush presents a truly outlandish twist on creature features in his short Chickenboy, with some unforgettable gross-out gags.
Vimeo trailer here.
POSSUM
Synopsis: Artist resident PINECONE commits theriocide (killing a non-human animal by a human) when he loses his mind and pummels a POSSUM to death. In true slasher film fashion, The Possum’s demise is both gruesome and entertaining. A shameful Pinecone brings the corpse to the other residents. Supported by snappy editing and camera whips, the residents process what to do with the kill and how to punish Pinecone. Through unanimity, and sidebars into the politics of class, gender, and disability, the residents come to a shocking conclusion.
Dysfunction and daffiness go hand-in-hand with the artist residency members in director/cowriter (with Sophie Sagan-Gutherz) Daisy Rosato’s short POSSUM. The humor, from which no target is safe, is razor sharp.
Vimeo trailer here.
