Brace yourselves, horror hounds! The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) got a whole lot scarier this weekend thanks to a partnership with the one and only Jordan Peele. It looks like we’re all about to witness the future of fear as the first-ever class of filmmakers from his Monkeypaw Productions and TIFF’s “No Drama” Initiative have just unleashed a taste of their short horror films.
What’s Your Biggest Fear?
So, what exactly is this “No Drama” thing? It’s a genius program launched last fall with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. They challenged a group of exceptionally talented new artists to create proof-of-concept films or shorts that explore horror in a completely new way, across diverse cultures, time periods, and environments.
The question they had to answer was simple, yet terrifying: “What’s your biggest fear? What monsters lurk in the deepest corners of your inner thoughts?” The five selected writer-directors—Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, and Ariel Zengotita—each scored a sweet $50,000 grant from TIFF to bring their nightmares to life.
The Films We’ve All Been Waiting For
This incredible group of films, titled Imago, Morty, Spilled Milk, Thick Skin, and The Pigs Underneath, made their world premiere during a special showcase on Saturday at TIFF Lightbox.
Peele himself was there to kick things off, along with Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer and TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. Afterward, the filmmakers stuck around for a Q&A session to chat about their horrifying creations. It was the perfect chance to hear all the spooky behind-the-scenes secrets!
According to Universal Pictures President Peter Cramer, Peele and his team have already “redefined genre filmmaking,” and this new initiative is a way to give “five talented new voices the access, mentorship, and platform to showcase their own groundbreaking work.” It’s an exciting time for anyone who loves a good scare!
The “No Drama” news comes just ahead of the premiere of Jordan Peele’s latest film, Him. And at the moment, Fandango is offering a killer buy-one-get-one special on tickets! So get yours now!
