Personal Demons Short Films - Dead Northern 2026 Film Festival

Deck of Many Horrors (Directed by Sam Renew) 

A virtual Dungeons and Dragons session turns into a bloodbath after a game master (Morag Davies) leads her party through a series of action cards that manifest a whole host of horrifying disasters. Starring an all-female cast including Davies, alongside Ashleigh Aston, Camile Reid, Natasha Killip and Leona Clarke, 'Deck of Many Horrors' utilises the fantastical nature of traditional tabletop interactive games as a bloodied vessel for an array of final-destination-esque violence to shine through. Directed by Sam Renew, this horror short toys with its source material, with each minute becoming rife with backstabber gameplay and exciting dramatics, enforcing a keen sense of spontaneity where anything can happen at any point. 

27B (Directed by David Talon) 

Homeward bound and at least 30,000 feet high in the sky, Antoine (Thomas Walch) begins a conversation with a mysterious passenger (Serena Nikly) in seat 27B. David Talon's directorial debut harnesses its unique high-altitude setting to exacerbate the premise of inescapable horror, with the airplane quite literally being representative of the story's innate idea of sealed destiny. Essentially, Antoine's terror and environment become a literal pressure chamber of pure dread, all of which is made even richer by the film's first-class effects that terrifyingly dominate the latter portion of this nefarious and monstrous tale. 

The Tenant (Directed by Ollie Hilton)

Fresh from an argument with her partner, Amy (Amelia Issac Jones) takes to a quiet, grand Airbnb. The host, Mary (Anne Lacey), and her expressionless demeanour is slightly off-putting, but not malevolent; that is, until night descends…The Tenant' is a behemoth of a premise. The audience is deliberately left in the dark until the powerful finale, unsure of where exactly the bubbling undercurrent of intense energy is coming from. It is through this uncertainty that The Tenant thrives; it forces us to create all these sinister scenarios of what could possibly go wrong, before completely pulling the rug out and delivering a scare that no one could prepare you for. 

God Forbid (Directed by Aaran McKenzie) 

A mother and daughter (Madeline Percival and Martina McClements) finally reunite after time apart before the ugly truth rears its head. Aaran McKenzie's 'God Forbid' is blunt in its portrayal of grief and regret, offering false respite only to bare its evil fangs that puncture the quietness and create an avalanche of overwhelming sorrow and, above all, fear. Although the film is drenched in beautiful and subtle cinematography that showcases the serenity of nature, both in setting and in cyclical meaning, God Forbid still interlaces a series of graphic and moving practical effects in the form of horrific visuals that are certain to haunt its audience for a long time. 

Thresholds (Directed by Sam C Dixon and Sixto Perea Rubio) 

Blacked-out windows, blood drawn and a spirit captured, Laura (Sefa Hauch) is ready to complete another ritual in a desperate last attempt to contact her deceased mother. Sam C Dixon and Sixto Perea Rubio present 'Thresholds', a short horror film that plunges into the horrors awaiting behind the dark arts and the endless longing and desperation left behind by unforgiving loss. Hauch's performance leads the film, with the solo character narrative anchoring its moving, yet burgeoning dread through her deeply personable portrayal. Thresholds thrives on clever subtlety, forgoing mass displays of horror for a sophisticated, chilling story of the supernatural. 

The Cure (Directed by Seán Connolly) 

Seán Connolly's 'The Cure ' is a short folkloric horror film that sees Fionna Fitzpatrick star as a smoking addict who takes to unorthodox measures following a visit to a seventh son (Seamus O'Rourke), whose miraculous healing powers may possess the 'cure' she so desperately desires. Bringing forth regional lore, this County Cavan production delivers a spellbinding concoction of twisted fates and nightmarish exhibitions of stark dread. The growing sense of unease and ambient, moody dread collide with the sharp visuals and unworldly threats that encapsulate The Cure's succinct telling's of addiction and its powers. 

The Binding (Directed by Ryan Kennedy)

Inspired by a deeply personal truth, 'The Binding' takes inspiration from the drastic measures that parents would dare to go to protect their child. As such, this relentlessly brutal and passionate film follows a grieving father (Mike Houston) who is prepared to do whatever it takes to eliminate the evil force that has taken over his daughter (Miranda Poett). The Binding taps into daunting psychological fears on every level; from the larger allegorical unveilings of disturbed desperation, through to its exploration of bodily takeovers, forming a film entrenched with fierce impact. 

Catch the unmissable 'Personal Demons' short film block at this year's Dead Northern Film Festival on Sunday 27th September at 14:15

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

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