Ice Man
Written & Directed by Daniel Byers
2019, USA
A survivor known as “Ice Man” battles a band of cannibals in a snowy, post-apocalyptic world.
Auteur Byers creates a very memorable short, successfully channeling Richard Matheson’s classic novel I Am Legend along the way.
Byers had previously made the period zombie short Bloodyback (2016) and is currently in post-production on the feature film Banishment.
P.O.W.
Directed by Doug Cook & Eric Covello
Written by Doug Cook & Mark Prosia
2015, Canada
With town residents occupied by an event honoring military veterans, two thieves break into a home in search of some easy loot.
Once inside, their plan goes sideways and the robbers are thrown into a grim and very dangerous situation.
This one makes a great double-feature with Jonathan van Tulleken’s Off Season.
The filmmaking duo of Cook & Covello has been quiet since P.O.W.. Let’s hope they have more cinematic work in the pipeline.
Narrow
Written & Directed by Anna Chazelle
2020, USA
Auteur Chazelle stars as a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world being pursued by a creature that presents itself in different guises.
Narrow makes the most of its clearly limited budget and, also doing its job as an industry calling-card, has landed Chazelle her first feature directing job on an Elmore Leonard adaptation.
https://vimeo.com/99939379
Blattaria
Written & Directed by Thomas Pantalacci
2016, Belgium/France
A man suffering from extreme depression resorts to taking a black-market drug that has extreme physical side-effects in this impressive short.
The well-shot Blattaria has a strong David Cronenberg influence.
Epoch
Written & Directed by Rich Lee
2018, USA
A woman travels through a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America, stopping to gather supplies.
Her encounter with two survivors leads to some unexpected revelations.
Epoch‘s production design and art direction are spectacular and its visual effects team does a tremendous job creating the film’s devastated road-trip backdrop, which is one of the most impressive you will ever see in a short film.
Killing Small Animals
Directed by Marcus Svanberg
Written by Marcus Svanberg & Matilde Skold
2020, Sweden
A woman living in a secluded home with a husband she seems barely connected to develops a gruesome habit.
This short film’s title may not be the most imaginative but don’t let that throw you off.
Killing Small Animals is an intensely disturbing piece of work that is presented with extremely little dialogue.
Special marks go to cinematographer Johan Palm for delivering tremendous atmosphere over a brief running time.
Watch this one as a double-feature with Matthew Garrett’s Beating Hearts.
Other Side of the Box
Directed by Caleb J. Phillips
Written by Caleb J. Phillips & Nick Tag
2018, USA
A couple is given a mysterious gift by an estranged friend. Once opened, the box reveals bizarre, potentially deadly contents.
Excellent, award-winning stuff from the Phillips/Tag creative duo, highlighted by Laura Jansen’s superb cinematography.
Other Side of the Box makes a great double-feature with Heath C. Michaels’ The World Over.
Crop
Written & Directed by Kyle Ginzburg
2016, USA
Set against the backdrop of the black-market organ trade, auteur Ginzburg delivers an offbeat take on a familiar horror character in this slick short that fans of Tony Scott’s The Hunger (1983) and Larry Fessenden’s Habit (1995) will especially appreciate.
Engineers
Directed by Tyler A. Williams
Written by Tyler A. Williams & Dean Tardioli
2016, Canada
This short’s abandoned factory setting helps deliver the atmosphere as Tyler A. Williams gives viewers an enigmatic but compelling glimpse into a post-apocalyptic world, channeling a bit of the classic Frankenstein story along the way.
Fremde
Directed by Tim Dunschede
Written by Marc Vogel
2018, Germany
In a post-apocalyptic world, a family makes a home in an isolated bunker in the forest.
After nursing a wounded stranger back to health, their world is disrupted by the arrival of a band of marauders.
Director Dunschede delivers a slow-burn viewing experience with great atmosphere and very solid acting throughout.