Spoiler-Free Reviews: Dogs Reign, Flagfall, and Dimness (Dark Nights Film Fest)
Dogs Reign (France, 2026) Official synopsis Léa, a young deaf woman, is approached by Raph and Julien, two insistent men whose ‘friendly’ invitation feels slightly off — yet she accepts it. As the night unfolds, their intentions grow increasingly unclear, and the tension rises. Review Axel Zeltser won Dark Nights Film Fest’s Best Short Film Director Award for Dogs Reign, and for good reason. The short uses horror to shine a light on predatory behavior. Léa (Chiara Corbetta) is approached by two young men (Julien Crampon and Julien Le Lons) with bad behavior on their minds. She takes them up on their offer and invites them to her home. Giving away anything further would be a disservice to future viewers, but suffice it to say that Zeltser, who also wrote the screenplay, has plenty of shocking surprises in store. Corbetta gives an excellent lead performance and Crampon and Le Lons add solid support. The pacing is perfect and the payoff
Continue reading →