1. LIGHTS OUT
What do you dread the most when you’re on your own? It’s possible that you have the uneasy sensation that you are not alone. In the dark, there is something lurking that you can’t see. Lights Out, a 3-minute Swedish short film by David Sandberg, exploits this very dread. Even if you’ve never slept with the lights on before, this short film will cause you to contemplate it for at least one week after viewing it. Alternatively, avoid spending any time alone in bed. In addition to being the inspiration for the 2016 American horror film of the same name, this short film was directed, produced, and written by Sandberg.
2. SHADOWED
The thought of being plagued by your own shadow at a moment where leaving the house is out of the question is terrifying. As far as I can tell, David Sandberg appears to like playing with people’s anxieties. If that’s the case, he may have released a new short horror flick that will ratchet up your stress levels. His house has supposedly been recorded during quarantine by surveillance.
3. 2AM: THE SMILING MAN
In the middle of your stroll home from the grocery store, you see a man dancing and smiling on the street. Then, what can he possibly do to you, then? To find out, you’ll have to watch this short film, which may potentially turn into every pedestrian’s ‘walking nightmare.’
4. MAMA
When two siblings learn that their mother has come home, panic spreads throughout the house. Guillermo del Toro was so taken by Andy Muschietti’s 2008 short film that he agreed to serve as an executive producer on the feature film adaptation, which was released in 2013.
5. THE MAIDEN
By Michael Chaves, this 9-minute short film is about a real estate agent who does everything she can in order to sell a haunted house. The rest of the plot is around how far the real estate agent and the supernatural powers will go to acquire what they want.
6. ALEXIA
In this short film, being friends with your ex on social media is creepy. 9-minute short film by Andres Borghi tells the story of an ex-boyfriend who begins experiencing paranormal activity when he decides to break up with her and remove her from his social media.
7. VICIOUS
Something doesn’t add up when a woman returns home. Even though she believes she is alone at home, she soon discovers that she is visited by someone or something she never expected to be there. If you don’t think the horror genre can be scary, watch Oliver Park’s award-winning short film, which he wrote and directed.
8. THE SMILING MAN
In the midst of a Netflix binge or a TV show you’ve been looking forward to, someone calls from the kitchen. Why don’t you tell me what you plan to do. Let me know who’s phoning you, please. Even if the person on the other end of the phone is a complete stranger who just smiles creepily at you when he calls. To find out what happens next, watch this film.
9. DON’T LOOK AWAY
Award-winning short film helmed by Christopher Cox is another another scary gem. This short clip serves as a reminder of the importance of listening to one’s parents. The plot centres around a girl who notices a man in her backyard staring at her in a secluded spot. After what seemed like a perfectly normal day, she finds herself in the midst of a terrifying ordeal.
10. TUCK ME IN
Despite being the shortest horror story on this list, this tale has a lasting effect. When a guy tries to put his child to sleep, he discovers that his child’s room is a mess and no one knows who is lying.
