Monsters and Mindgames Short Films - Dead Northern 2026 Film Festival

3:03 AM (Directed by Kolya Denton) 

We've all been there: the witching hour, 3 am, lying in bed on the phone trying to drift off. Michelle (Ibinabo Jack) is simply looking for slumber, but the darkness has other plans. London-based director Koyla Denton delivers an exceptional directorial debut with '3:03 AM', a viscerally sinister and nightmare-worthy horror short film that plays on familiar fears of bumps in the night. From the tense atmosphere through to Jack's superb performance, this short film is not to be underestimated. Where this film strikes with nail-biting efficiency is in its ability to tap into our genuine fears. Late at night, every noise or subtle movement has the power to arouse the most horrid of scenarios, particularly for horror fans. And Denton and his powerhouse short film capitalise brilliantly on this very sincere turmoil. 

305 Fishkill Avenue (Directed by Ramel Westry) 

The chaos of New York City becomes too much for single father Oliver (Rolando Boyce) to bear when he witnesses a brutal crime outside his own window. As he attempts to shelter his young daughter Poppy (Celeste Clark) from the growing violence flooding the streets, he cruelly realises that the horror may be closer to home. Wretchedly callous in its twisted turn of events, '305 Fishkill Avenue' is as much sincerely heartbreaking as it is eerie. From acclaimed filmmaker Ramel Westry, this short psychological thriller unravels the complexities of mental health in an unforgiving, candid manner, fostering a cinematic venture that combines compelling visuals and moving performances to create a project that is haunting in every way. 

Gumboro (Directed by Dimitris Vavatsis) 

Michalis (Dimitris Tsiklis) tours an apartment in the city of Athens, Greece. Spacious, affordable and away from his parents, the apartment appears ideal for Michalis' first taste of freedom, the one caveat being the strange door that sits off the kitchen that refuses to open. A film graduate, director Dimitris Vavatsis, incorporates subliminal meanings throughout this coming-of-age meets sensorial horror short film, all of which is told through immersive lighting and a building sense of intrusive claustrophobia.'Gumboro' mirrors Michalis' affective state on screen, with the film becoming increasingly ominous and unpredictable before reaching a shocking peak. 

The Hold (Directed by Ashley James Panton)

After a one-night stand overstays his welcome, the commitment-phobe Nathan (Ashley Byam) attempts to stay awake so as not to disturb his unplanned guest with his extreme night terrors. As sleep deprivation and burdening anxiety takes its toll, the terrifying force behind his disposition begins to puncture reality. The mind behind 'The Hold', Ashley James Panton, denotes a timely exploration of the state of transactional intimacy and the fear of opening oneself to others throughout this short horror film. Leading with a perceptive framing towards vulnerability and preservation, The Hold speaks to challenging narratives with brute profundity.  

Lady Puritan (Directed by Gustine Füdickar and Justin Streichman) 

Gustine Füdickar and Justin Streichman's 'Lady Puritan' resides in the world of horror not through archetypal ghouls and goblins, but through its complex peek into the trauma of repression, the embodiment of desires and the dread that lies within our roots. Lady Puritan sees a woman (played by co-director Füdickar) haunted by her Puritan ancestor, leading her to encounter the buried disturbances that haunt her bloodline. The premise, which provokes intense feelings of shock and moving anguish, is filmed in such a poignant way, showcasing the female body as a transgressive vessel, in turn positioning itself as not just an effective film, but a crucial entry into visceral horror.

Vowels (Directed by Rafael De Leon)

Triple threat writer, director and editor Rafael De Leon was inspired to make 'Vowels' from his own experiences with a speech impediment. The short film opens with Ava (Alexa Smith) practising her own introduction in the mirror, before settling down for a rather uncomfortable meal with her mother (Chelsea Carpenter) and her ignorant guest (Sunny Makwana). As Ava's anxiety and the micro-criticism's reach a peak, her impediment begins to tear away at her. Vowels impactful story and cinematic potency derive from Smith's performance, whose portrayal of vulnerability, openness and burdening terror combine to create a rendition of internal fear creeping out from the dark and onto the surface.  

Cyclops (Directed by Tariq Sayed) 

Freya (Elle O'Hara) returns to her old school having authored a children's fairytale book, Cyclops; however, as the increasingly eerie reading of her project nears its end, her listeners learn that the story's monster is far from fictional. Tariq Sayed's 'Cyclops' blends fantastical fiction with a brutally truthful and horrifically grounded conclusion that forces the viewer to confront the horror behind Freya's subliminal writings. Cyclops further unsettles through its vast array of striking practical effects, which foster an arresting terrain for this slow-burn thriller to thrive. 

Catch the unmissable 'Monsters and Mindgames' short film block at this year's Dead Northern film festival on Saturday 26th September at 10:30.

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