Little Nightmares: Best International Short Films

Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films

The out-of-competition showcase of the most interesting short form horror and fantasy films. A whirlpool of fantasy, cosmic sci-fi and chilling horror, the programme offers something for all tastes.

Screenings

Rõdusaal Haapsalu kultuurikeskus
Screening019201 / Väikesed luupainajad
Screening duration
Keldrisaal Haapsalu kultuurikeskus
Screening039301 / Väikesed luupainajad
Screening duration

Films

Home

Local title
Kodu
Original title
기억의 집
Director
Jae-hee Jeong
Country
South Korea
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
horror film

A woman sorts the belongings of her deceased mother. Uncanny phenomena occur in her house, and she recalls memories of her mother.

Director
Jae-hee Jeong
Screenwriter
Jae-hee Jeong
Cast
Young-ji Jo, Mal-bok Yang
Producer
So-yeh Paeng
DoP
Gun-hee Park
Editor
Ji-hyun Kim
Composer
Jun-seong Lee
Sound
Dong-hyun Jang
Distributor
FILM DABIN
Runtime
Language
Korean

Sulayman

Local title
Sulayman
Director
Blog Caliguia
Country
Philippines
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
action, fantasy film
Subject
violence, fatherhood, coming of age

A warrior confronts a mysterious menace from the forest in order to protect his village.

Director
Blog Caliguia
Screenwriter
Blog Caliguia
Cast
Adrienne Vergara, Siglo Pecho, Pepe Manikan
DoP
Blog Caliguia
Editor
Blog Caliguia
Composer
Pepe Manikan
Music
Pepe Manikan
Production
Tuldok Animation Studios
Distributor
Tuldok Animation Studios
Runtime
Language
Filipino

Volition

Local title
Tahe
Director
Ashley George
Country
USA
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
action, thriller
Subject
revenge

After getting kidnapped and taken to a sex trafficking house on the outskirts of a southern town, Emma enlists the other victims to dive head first into a volatile escape plan where every girl must fight for her life.

Director
Ashley George
Screenwriter
Emily James, Andrew Levin
Cast
Emiliy James, Aminah Nieves, Haley Hammonds, Samuel Dunning, Zachary Grant, Tessa Richardson, Kenysha Davis, MaryCharles Miller
Producer
Chase Levy, Emily James, Quenten Kirby, Ashley George, Andrew Levin, Desiree Staples
DoP
Sheila Altamirano
Cinematographer
Sheila Altamirano
Editor
Brandon Boudreaux
Composer
Roman Molino Dunn
Sound
Jeremy Eisener, Edmond Coblentz
Production
Chase Manhattan Project
Music
GRLwood, Josephine Network, Farrah Fawx
Runtime
Language
English

Transylvanie

Local title
Transilvaania
Director
Rodrigue Huart
Country
France
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
fantasy film
Subject
youth

Ewa is a 10-year-old girl living in a tall building in a quiet town. She’s an odd, lonely child and for good reason: she’s convinced she is a vampire. Fascinated by Hugo, 15, she dreams of turning him into a vampire too, so that she can overcome her loneliness. When Ewa opens up to him, she gets bullied by teenagers from the neighbourhood. Hurt in her body and soul, she’s ready to act in the creepiest, sickest ways to prove her identity to the world.

Director
Rodrigue Huart
Screenwriter
Rodrigue Huart, David Alexander Cassan, Axel Würsten
Cast
Lucien Le Ho, Emma Gautier, Katell Varvat
Producer
Lucie Vigier
DoP
Julien Ramirez Hernan
Editor
Marco Novoa
Production
Qui vive!
Distributor
Manifest
Runtime
Language
French

Demons in the Closet

Local title
Kapideemonid
Director
James Smith
Country
Germany
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
horror film
Subject
humour, absurd

A resident is challenged by demons from another realm in his closet.

Director
James Smith
Screenwriter
James Smith
Cast
James Smith
Producer
James Smith
DoP
James Smith
Editor
James Smith
Composer
James Smith
Animation
James Smith
Runtime
Language
English

Lady and the Tramp

Local title
Leedi ja Lontu
Director
Simon Brooke
Country
United Kingdom
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
thriller, dark comedy
Subject
violence

A young woman invites a homeless man into her flat to take a shower...

Director
Simon Brooke
Screenwriter
Simon Brooke
Cast
Dominique Jackson, Elliot James Langridge
Producer
Dottie Kay
DoP
Miguel Carmenes
Editor
Jack Williams
Composer
Tom Rouse, Elliot Boles
Production
Dot Films
Runtime
Language
English

We Joined a Cult

Local title
Me liitusime kultusega
Director
Chris McInroy
Country
USA
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
horror film, dark comedy
Subject
friendship, absurd

The story of two friends who just wanted to play kickball.

Director
Chris McInroy
Screenwriter
Chris McInroy
Cast
Kirk Johnson, Carlos LaRotta, Kyle Irion
Producer
Kris Phipps, Matthew Thomas, Stacey Bell, Jarrod Yerkes
DoP
E.J. Enriquez
Editor
Chris McInroy
Composer
Bird Peterson
Production
Garth Manor
Runtime
Language
English

Escape Attempt

Local title
Põgenemiskatse
Director
Alex Topaller, Daniel Shapiro
Country
USA, Poland
Year
2023
Festival
HÕFF 2024
Programme
Little Nightmares. Best International Short Films
Genre
science fiction
Subject
war, history, retro

A soldier escaping a WWII concentration camp finds himself on an unknown planet in a distant future only to discover a frozen gulag controlled by a brutal alien race.

Based on the science fiction novella “Escape Attempt” by the iconic science fiction writers, the Strugatsky Brothers (1925-1991)

Director
Alex Topaller, Daniel Shapiro
Screenwriter
Christina Lazaridi
Cast
Andrzej Chyra, Anna Burnett, Piotr Witkowski, Andrzej Chyra
Producer
Alex Topaller, Jacek Kulczycki, Lukasz Tomasz Koltunowicz
DoP
Kajetan Plis
Editor
Przemysław Chruścielewski, Adam Thomson
Composer
Pawel Gorniak
Production
Aggressive, OTO Film
Runtime
Language
English