Horror Shorts To Look Out for After SXSW 2025
SXSW might be over but we can't get over the horror talent that showcased their short films as part of the festival. SXSW featured various short competitions, including the Texas Short Competition that included work filmed in, inspired by, or connected to the Lone Star State and the Midnight Short Competition, which included films in the horror, gore, and dark comedy genres. The following films are from those competitions.
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Harvester dir. Charlie Schwan
Texas Short Competition, Winner
Synopsis: A woman forms a pact with a dark entity in exchange for a glimpse into her tormented past.
This short film, at a runtime of about 13 minutes, invites you into the dark places of your mind. What are you willing to do to hold on to something you lost? After being introduced to the characters, you're not quite sure where the story is going and then you see it-- and there's no turning back. Harvester feels like being sucked into a moment of time that you can't escape, no matter how hard you try.
Last Call dir. Winnie Cheung
Midnight Short Competition
Synopsis: Claudia Chow, a thrill-seeking motorcycle rebel, plunges into her darkest vices to evade a mysterious serpent woman who awakens Claudia’s most grotesque fantasies.
"Your body is my body". What a visual feast. This film reminded me of some of my favorite films from the 90s with so much more beauty and lore. It is a nightmarish fantasy that is a pleasure to watch, literally. And the music is top tier!
The Beguiling dir. Ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
Midnight Short Competition
Synopsis: What seems to be a burgeoning romance between two Indigenous people takes a sinister turn as one grows suspicious of the other's Indigenous heritage. When confronted, deceit turns their romantic evening into a darkly comedic nightmare.
While I don't know the Indigenous experience, I know what it's like to see other people wearing your culture like an outfit because it's popular, knowing they have no idea what it is really like to walk in your shoes. While this film is labeled as a comedy, there isn't anything funny about the reality of its story. While being a quite contained piece, The Beguiling embodies its themes and delivers a dynamic short film that deserves to be screened worldwide.
Whitch dir. Hoku Uchiyama
Midnight Short Competition, Special Jury Award
Synopsis: After putting her daughter to bed, Aura discovers an intruder in her house: an elderly lady who acts strangely familiar, and is hell-bent on performing a bloody ritual before midnight.
Whitch is barely six minutes and it is effective as hell. This was a refreshing watch with elements of comedy that expertly balance the tone of the film. This is another one that reminds me of some childhood favs like Goosebumps or Halloweentown with some added horror elements that make this one a standout. And there's just something creepy about naked old people in horror films.
Due to covering SXSW remotely, we weren't able to screen Stomach Bug directed by Matty Crawford, but it was the Midnight Shorts Competition Winner.
Synopsis: Manny, a single father, struggles to cope with the emptiness left behind after his daughter moves away for her studies. However, his body seems to react by undergoing a strange transformation, swelling into what appears to be a fully pregnant belly…After making futile efforts to obtain help, he realizes he has to face what’s inside him alone.
