Until Monday the 4th of November 2024, Indy Film Library is streaming some of the best short horror films we have received over the last year. The Halloween Horror Showcase can be viewed for free, via our online screening platform, where you can also cast your vote for the Audience Choice Award. As part of the event, we asked the directors of the films to outline the elaborate methods behind their work, and what it ultimately means to them.
Laaggedij director Xousha Eisenhardt
What does the unknown look like? In Laaggedij, I sought to explore this question. I found myself captivated by the enigmatic allure of the unknown, leading me to explore the origin and creation stories across diverse cultures. In my film, I intertwine my own interpretations of these tales with intimate personal memories, giving rise to a narrative of creation.
The fusion of humans and their surroundings takes on various forms in Laaggedij. Through the costumes I designed, I situated the character just beyond the boundaries of ordinary reality. As the film unfolds, the protagonist goes through different life stages, which I accentuate through the environment. From these different life phases, I also wanted to emphasise the cyclic nature of life on Earth itself.
Ultimately, Laaggedij symbolises that every ending harbours the potential for a new and transformative beginning, inviting us to embrace the perpetual cycle of creation and renewal. Through this narrative, I invite viewers to ponder the mysteries of the unknown and contemplate the interconnectedness of our existence.
Algos director Elliot Rafael Engberg
Algos is deeply personal to me, as it’s about my fear of dementia, which is something that has been plaguing my family for quite some time.
I aim to evoke emotions through my films, be they positive or negative. Filmmaking is my opportunity to delve into my anxieties, fears, and explore themes that captivate me. Ultimately, I strive to make my films deeply personal, whilst finding my own language of storytelling.
The Darkened Cottage director Benji Wragg
I don’t really like talking about my films and inspiration. In an aged care home, hidden on the bay there was a stranger with a whole history behind them. All her memories, quirks, hates, loves, opinions, emotions and essence had been stripped away. After an entire life of experiences she was left a husk, wandering the halls and waiting around to die. I thought it was a tragedy, thought it was scary how your mind can cease to exist.
Don’t Shoot the President director Niven Wilson
I made Don’t Shoot the President public on YouTube as soon as I heard the news of the first assassination attempt. My original plan was to post it around election day, which would have given it more of an association with Biden, but I think Trump himself is enough of an opportunistic showman that he’d recognize the favorable circumstances. It was getting about a view a minute, which is far better than anything else I’ve put on YouTube, until a comment included the word “Trump” and then – by conspiracy or coincidence – the views dropped to nothing. I’d like to think that my cartoons could reshape reality but so far it hasn’t been the case.