Along with an outstanding array of feature-length horror films, Sydney, Australia’s inaugural Dark Nights Film Festival also boasted a selection of fine fright-fare short films from around the world. Following is the first installment of reviews about the home-grown offerings from the fest’s Aussie Shorts Showcase.
It Will Find You
It Will Find You, from the cowriting/codirecting team of Chris Broadbent and Enzo Tedeschi, is an excellent supernatural chiller. Casey (Georgia Eyers) is granted permission to interview the woman who killed her sister, convicted murderer of four Jackie (Leonie Whyman). Casey is incredulous about Jackie’s story of a monster being involved, but Jackie insists Casey will find out the truth soon enough. The short boasts solid production values, wonderful cinematography courtesy of Casimir Dickson, and a very creepy creature design. Eyers and Whyman are excellent in their roles, and Broadbent and Tedeschi build suspense and eerie atmosphere masterfully. It Will Find You works just fine as a stand-alone short, but the world building the filmmakers achieve here cries out for a feature film version.
Doghouse
Writer/director Charnstar Anderson’s Doghouse finds Jeremy (Jesse Aquiningo) unceremoniously kicked out of the bedroom by his wife Shannon (Katie Bell) and relegated to sleeping on the couch for the night. New neighbor Eliza (Cherie Moss) comes calling, offering a way out of an unhappy marriage . . . but this being a horror short, the unexpected is in store. Anderson crafts an engaging work with dark humor that delivers an unexpected surprise. Doghouse is largely a two-hander, with Aquiningo and Moss a fun pair of leads to watch.
It Will Find You and Doghouse screened as part of Australia’s Dark Nights Film Festival, which ran October 11th through October 13th, 2024. For more information, visit https://www.darknightsfilmfest.com/.
