Midnight Shorts

For those uninitiated into the cult of the Midnight Shorts program, check your inhibitions at the door. A maddening collection of ten films—animated, narrative and experimental in nature—all custom designed to deliver a visual and aural experience that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your therapist in the morning.

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Midnight Short

An Example of Lee-Roth Fog Isolated Under Laboratory Conditions

Directed by: Ryan Betschart

USA, 2022, 3m

First discovered in 1972 by a band of Dutch/Indonesian researchers and isolated for the first time by engineers at 5150 in Studio City, California—ladies and gentlemen: the exotic and rare Lee-Roth Fog. An uncanny new short from the mad creators of “The Flaw in the Crystal” (FFF 2021).

Midnight Short

Guts

Directed by: Chris McInroy

USA, 2021, 8m

Twisted Austin filmmaker Chris McInroy (“We Summoned a Demon,” FFF 2018; “Death Metal,” FFF 2017) returns with the workplace tale of one man who wears his guts on the outside of his body.

Midnight Short

While Mortals Sleep

Directed by: Alex Fofonoff

USA, 2022, 14m

When a cold-case novelist’s career implodes, she seeks refuge at her friend’s remote vacation home. Upon arrival, she encounters a strange couple who claim to be the caretakers. As tensions build, a dark secret begins to emerge.

Midnight Short

Parked

Directed by: Yoon Hei Cho

USA, 2021, 4m

An incident of inconvenient panic attack: of having your internal consciousness struggle to get out of an inescapable internal torture chamber while your physical self—in reality—is paralyzed.

Midnight Short

Buzzkill

Directed by: Peter Ahern

USA, 2022, 5m

Peter Ahern (“Down to the Bone,” FFF 2010) returns with the blind date woes of Rick and Becky (who has something in her eye…and her closet).

Midnight Short

Itch

Directed by: Susannah Farrugia

Malta/UK, 2021, 8m

A psychological horror film about a novice nun who develops a severe skin condition, which continues to worsen along with her mental state, as she struggles with her feelings for another nun.

Midnight Short

The Expected

Directed by: Carolina Sandvik

Sweden, 2021, 14m

A father-to-be ends up in a feverish nightmare after a miscarriage, when a strange entity seems to be growing in the mother’s blood.

Midnight Short

Every Time We Meet for Ice Cream Your Whole Fucking Face Explodes

Directed by: Anthony Cousins

USA, 2021, 7m

Title says it all! A carnage coated confection from the director of “The Bloody Ballad of Squirt Reynolds” (FFF 2019).

Midnight Short

Part Forever

Directed by: Alan Chung-An, Ou

Taiwan, 2021, 13m

In Mandarin with English subtitles

In the dark room, candles flicker faintly. A body lies in the middle of the hall. Huei and her husband Wen Hsiung come to say goodbye to Huei’s dearest sister. The seemingly calm and sad farewell ceremony hides an astonishing and dark secret.

Midnight Short

Visitors

Directed by: Kenichi Ugana

Japan, 2021, 17m

In Japanese with English subtitles

Haruka, Nana, and Takanori visit the house of Souta, a band member who has lost contact with them. But Souta’s behavior is a little strange in this crazy mix of The Exorcist, The Evil Dead, and The Grudge.