Home Grown Horror Short Films - Dead Northern 2026 Film Festival

GILDA (Directed by Matty Ride-Smith) 

Gilda (Kylie Ann Ford), already nursing a hangover, begrudgingly arrives at an empty community centre to run an after-school club; however, whilst doing the rounds, an anonymous evil force takes hold. Directed by Matty Ride-Smith, a Northumberland director who spent years filming DIY skateboarding videos, brings forth that quintessential electric filmmaking brimming with craft-driven energy in 'GILDA'. Throughout this short horror film, eerily darkened spaces become rife with foreboding fear, with the vacant building being ripe for plenty of shadow play and spooky lighting, driving home the premise of a chaotically sinsiter presence wreaking havoc in the most unexpected of places. 

Five Hours Until the Blood Moon (Directed by Dan Silov) 

As the hours count down to the stroke of midnight, three aspiring witches (Santa Breikša, Dita Apsīte and Velta Birze) are desperate to lose their virginities to fulfil an unsung ritual. This Latvian short horror film develops iconic genre sentiments with its coven-inspired essence. Aspects such as grimoire horror, candled rooms, laced clothes and red lipstick all make for a film with stunningly dark iconography. Working in tandem with the macabre aesthetics is the story, which blends incredibly satirical humour with a sharp bluntness, akin to that of 'What We Do in the Shadows' (2014), in that its nefarious quick wit epitomises the tonal affect of this excellent short. 

The Man That I Wave At (Directed by Ben S. Hyland) 

Our befuddled narrator, Dave (Sam Pamphilon) and his partner, Denise (Rebecca Shorrocks), take a morning stroll, only for Dave to wave at a random man (Marek Larwood); not to worry, he does this every morning. However, who is this anonymous man that begins to plague Dave's every waking thought? Like that of a micro 'Inside No. 9' (2014-2024) episode, this short film from famed BAFTA Rocliffe winner Ben S. Hyland can only be described as truly odd, but in the best way possible. 'The Man That I Wave At' is a surreal exploration into sci-fi, reality-based terror, with a sucker-punch conclusion and a polished grit to its bafflingly eerie venture into jet-black comedy horror. 

Crak Hack (Directed by Brendan Cleaves) 

In a world dominated by VR technology, Tony (Johnny Vivash) takes to an innovative intimacy device to save his long-distance relationship; however, when hackers take control, Tony must submit to the absolutely unthinkable. 'Crak Hack' dares to dive into hilarious domains, provoking genuine belly-laughs of pure humour and disgust as Tony's predicaments snowball into the outer marches of horror. As expected, Vivash excels in the film, devoting his seasoned experience to this physically demanding role, furthering the capacities of this fiendishly macabre and narratively bold take on worryingly not too far in the future technology. 

Sapling (Directed by Ben Franklin and Anthony Melton) 

"We are not the fear we live with. We are what we become in spite of it", a prophetic quote from the conclusion of 'Sapling' that epitomises the mastery of grief and the physical embodiment of trauma that audiences will witness throughout this heavily emotional short horror film. From Ben Franklin and Anthony Melton, the minds behind the horror collective Bloody Cuts, is an exploration of violence in the home that follows a grieving mother (Kate Braithwaite) as she returns to the anthropomorphic forest where her son disappeared, forcing her barbarous husband (Tom Sawyer) to confront the monstrosity of his prolonged behaviour. 

A Hand to Hold (Directed by Philip Clyde-Smith) 

When Moria's (Frances Barber) husband, Patrick (Murray McArthur), passes, his deceased hand refuses to let go. Priests, family, farmers and dark art practitioners all take to resolving Moira's disturbed condition, resulting in a ghastly sequence of events. 'A Hand to Hold' uses the wittiness of Irish satirical humour with a narrative steeped in layered analogies of domesticity sucking the life out of people to create a memorable experience. Furthering the humour, the short film features stellar graphic effects, leaving the audience to witness the putrefying conditions of bodily metamorphosis - a grisly sight that horror fans will immediately welcome. 

Jammy (Directed by Lainya Craig) 

A brutally violent encounter lights a malevolent spark within a struggling bakery owner (Lucy Robinson) whose awakened ferocity lends a hand to her new doughnut recipe… Lainya Craig's 'Jammy' explores themes of violence against women and the prospect of vengeance and sends it pedal to the metal with a sense of avid boldness. Whilst its analogical connotations are richly baked into the core of the film, Jammy does not glaze over the practical effects, which remain integral to the effectiveness of the film's copious displays of blood, guts and gore. 

ITCH (Directed by Andzej Gavriss)

The minimalist title may suggest a simple body horror story, a point that could not be any further from the truth, with this Andzej Gavriss directed short film instead being a profound exercise in the brutal detriments of the modern world. 'ITCH' sees a father (Nathan Stewart- Jarrett) become physically taken over and riddled with an intense itch from his severe and secret porn addiction; all of which leads to a menacing confrontation with his trauma that cultivated such neuroses. 

GOODS (Directed by Jack Berry)

As three women take shelter in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a deadly famine, a radio signal tells of a haven where supplies are available. Desperate for survival, Tina (Gwyneth Evans) sets out into the wild, leaving Lucy (Han-Roze Adonis) and Steph (Kitty Ball) behind. With a micro budget, 'GOODS' from the mind of filmmaker Jack Berry takes the viewer on a primal journey of isolation, the physical decay of society and the threat of dreaded scarcity, all told through a folkloric lens that takes the rawness of the countryside and plunges its ominousness deep into the thresholds of fear.

The Bait (Directed by Sabrina Rivetti) 

Couple Rosie (Holly Causer) and Annie (Sara Al Ghanem) may have opposing philosophies on religion, but their love is unshakeable; that is, until the disappearance of their beloved cat, Ripley goes missing, leading to old tensions resurfacing. 'The Bait' intricately deceives its audience, luring them in before pulling the rug out and offering a story whose depth eradicates any chance of predictability. In an ode to the ties that divinity binds, this short horror film explores the fascinating concept of human connection fleshed out through the control of a transcendent presence.

Catch the unmissable 'Home Grown Horror' short film block at this year's Dead Northern Film Festival on Sunday, the 27th September at 10:30

You can grab your tickets to watch Dead Reset at this years Festival here!

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