The Short Horror Magic of Happenstance Horror Fest

LOCAL LOVE: HOMEGROWN HORROR (1 hr 18 min)

Regional horror always has a special flavor. It’s the vibe of a story born from the dirt beneath our feet, the myths whispered behind closed doors, the old houses we drive past every day and pretend not to fear. This block was a testament to distinctly local nightmares, crafted by filmmakers whose terror feels rooted in real history, real landscapes, and real wounds. It’s proof that the “hometown haunt” still packs one hell of a punch.

Festival Favorites

Fenwick (Dir. Rachel S. Thomas-Medwid, 13 min)

America’s darkest secrets rarely stay buried. Fenwick digs straight into one of the ugliest chapters in U.S. history, eugenics, and examines how institutional violence echoes through generations. What begins as a journalist arriving at the Fenwick estate to investigate the legacy of a notorious eugenicist slowly spirals into a psychological horror that blurs present and past until they become indistinguishable.

There’s a chilling restraint to how information is revealed. The details drip like poison, each fact more horrific than the last. Thomas-Medwid doesn’t sensationalize the horror. She simply lets the truth speak for itself. And that truth is more terrifying than fiction. The film invites us to consider whether confronting history is enough, or whether some cycles are doomed to repeat no matter how loudly we say, “never again.” This one rattled me to my core.

Shift (Dir. Bridgette Cannell, 8 min)

Isolation horror lives or dies by atmosphere. Shift nails it. Ranger Ellie, stationed alone in a remote cabin, senses something stalking her in the deep, oppressive night. Cannell builds tension with exquisite patience. The sound design alone crawls under your skin. Meanwhile, Hilary Dennis delivers a performance that feels achingly real.

This one reminded me a bit of Lovely, Dark, and Deep: horror not as spectacle, but as creeping dread. It’s the realization that the wilderness is vast, ancient, and not remotely impressed by our confidence or rationality. This short breathes fear.

Further Frights

Hey, Missy! (Dir. Joe Taft, 15 min)

Sexy, funny, twisted. Hey, Missy! is a seductive, blood-splattered romp about a woman whose kink involves seduction… followed by execution. It’s wicked and playful, with a standout performance by Alison O’Leary. When Missy’s past comes calling, the fantasy curdles into something darker. Absolutely a crowd-pleaser.

Chompers (Dir. Joseph Gatto, 6 min)

Adapted from a story by Joe R. Lansdale (the author of Bubba Ho-Tep), this creature comedy is pure midnight-movie bliss. A homeless woman chomps down on a mysterious pair of dentures… and the dentures bite back. The result is a gooey, neon-drenched practical effects feast that feels like it escaped from the VHS rental section of 1988 in the best way. Gatto’s passion for creature features and practical FX shines. This one is a blast. It’s also boldly unafraid to cross lines, including the canine one.

The Orion Project (Dir. Richard Chandler, 3.5 min)

Part sci-fi horror, part allegory, The Orion Project follows a woman who has been tormented by an unseen entity for as long as she can remember. Determined to break the cycle, she tracks it to a decaying bunker in the woods, axe in hand. The narration offers an almost cosmic despair: the horror of being hunted by something without origin, without logic, without end. Quiet, eerie, and effective.

The Chexorcist (Dir. Erica Stockwell-Alpert, 7 min)

A joyous Jewish parody of The Exorcist full of great gags, culture-specific detail, and mom-powered exorcism. When a grown man begins behaving strangely, it’s a rabbi, not a priest, who shows up. And when that doesn’t work, Mom takes charge. This one is silly and very endearing.

Carbon Ghost (Dir. Brandon Wandell, 3 min)

A micro-psychological horror about guilt and consequence. Ava seeks refuge in a church after a fire she may have caused, only to be visited by her brother, who didn’t survive. Wandell uses minimal imagery to explore the ghosts that memory carves into us. Short, stark, and atmospheric.

Preparation (Dirs. Derek Barrus & Sotorious, 4 min)

A breakup rant live-streamed to an audience of toxic men spirals into something far darker. Rad Matt is already a powder keg of insecurity and entitlement, and the reactions of his “bros” don’t help. This short digs into incel psychology with clinical precision, then twists the knife with a gut-punch ending that feels horrifyingly plausible in our current world.

Ursid (Dir. Rob Lee, 8 min)

A blood ritual in the woods. Women in white dresses. Torches. An unwilling participant. At first glance, Ursid feels like folk horror 101… until it swerves in a direction that will divide audiences in the most delicious way. I won’t spoil the turn, but this short has something razor-sharp to say about the male psyche and the things men fear most.

STDeep (Dir. Jordan Pacheco, 6 min)

A 48-Hour Film Project entry shot on a real battleship. Claustrophobic, grimy, and pulsing with Lovecraftian tension. When the crew’s nets come up empty, desperate men strike a “bargain” with the ship’s captain. But she’s not merely interested in bodies; she’s hungry for something far older and more monstrous. Great effects and atmosphere for such a tight turnaround.