Content warning: TBD A collection of narrative short films (in the Horror / Suspense) in contention for official selection, nomination as Quarterfinalist for both genre and technical categories. One will win the Quarter Final and be named BEST HORROR / SUSPENSE SHORT FILM of the 1st Quarter of 2026! Audience Choice balloting is open. Your vote counts!

Shot in black and white on Super 8, This Clown Ate, Vol. I is a practical-effects horror experiment inspired by classic slasher tropes and the meta edge of Scream (1996). Embracing exaggerated gore and deliberate roughness, the film serves as a playful homage to grindhouse horror, inviting audiences to gasp, laugh, and enjoy the chaos.

This Clown Ate vol. I

On Black Friday, chaos turns deadly when unsuspecting shoppers and employees at a small-town retail store become pawns in a brutal game of survival—engineered by the shadowy corporation known only as Sector C. In a place where deals once ruled the day, the real prize is making it out alive.

BLK Friday

An angel informs a ghost she cannot pass on until her body decomposes, but not all is as it seems.

Nondecomposable

In a simple room, during a rainy late afternoon, a closed-off and hostile man shares a table with a restless child who seems ordinary, driven by naïve questions. The dialogue begins lightly, almost playfully, but gradually turns into an intimate and relentless confrontation. The boy’s questions cut through buried memories, exposing fragmented episodes of violence, guilt, emotional loss, and irreversible choices.As the conversation unfolds, what initially appears to be fantasy reveals itself as a reckoning between past and present. The boy ceases to embody innocence alone and takes on the role of an accuser, while the man—once aggressive and defensive—begins to unravel. In the end, the child disappears, making it clear he was never external: the man remains condemned to inhabit the ruins of who he once was.

English

Echoes Under Skin

A struggling baker’s life takes a turn after a violent confrontation awakens a hunger for justice.

Jammy

The intrigue and fascination of modern society with monsters and superhero movies depicted in a documentary series on all time myths and legends from around the world this time.

Monsters or Legends

The intrigue and fascination of modern society with monsters and superhero movies depicted in a documentary series on all time myths and legends from around the world this time.

A young solo hiker wakes up in her apartment on the day of her big hiking trip, to find her mother making breakfast as a surprise to her. As the mother and daughter eat and chat about the upcoming day, the daughter starts to become aware that something is very wrong.

So You Alone Out Here

A young woman gets herself abducted into a trafficking ring to find her missing sister and take the traffickers out from the inside.

Haunted by the events that scarred him, Max Beecher, a member of a small ghost-hunting YouTube channel called "The Demon Hunters," Is ready to speak out about what occurred to finally put his mind at peace regarding the mysterious disappearance of his best friend Jordan Adler. And show the tapes documenting that fateful night.

The Disappearance of Jordan Adler

SDSFF Narrative Short Films: Horror / Suspense

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Celebrating the art of storytelling through short films, showcasing the work of talented filmmakers from around the world. From thought-provoking dramas to captivating animations, the festival presents a rich tapestry of storytelling, offering a platform for emerging and established filmmakers.

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