Canadian short films at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Posters courtesy of TADFF and edit made by Alisha Shaikh)

The Toronto After Dark Film Festival premiered nine great Canadian short films. Each film takes a unique look, bringing a diverse collection to the spooky season. All nine shorts listed below are rated from most to least entertaining to me.

Bloodline

Bloodline is a short film directed by Richard Rotter. The story follows a young woman who tries to care for her sick, blood thirsty father while simultaneously creating a life for herself. The film is very gory and bloody, inspired by classic vampire tropes. It’s a beautiful yet tragic story of a father-daughter relationship that incorporates horror aspects, making it a perfect Halloween watch.

Demon Box

Demon Box, written by Steve Manale, dives deep into the psychological aspect of the human mind relating to topics of the Holocaust. The film opens up with a great line, calling itself a festival reject and  proclamining the film  as  too deep and dark to be premiered at festivals. Throughout the short film, there is a painfully direct narration that takes a simultaniously funny and ironic take on the usually taboo subject of the Holocaust and suicide. It invokes many mixed emotions. All in all, Demon Box is a greatly narrated scary story with deeper meaning.

Thriving: A Dissociated Reverie

Thriving: A Dissociated Reverie is a story based on the lived experience of a black, nonbinary, disabled artist and former sex worker, Nicole Bazuin. A surrealist examination of dissociative identity disorder (DID) is presented. Just like Demon Box by Steve Manale, this short film takes a funny, ironic take on a serious topic. Showing the audience the scary yet very authentic reality of what people diagnosed with DID go through.

Night Drives: Campfire in the Sky

A three-minute-long animated film about coworkers and their take on camping It’s a short, funny and comical skit. The story goes on as all three colleagues share their camping experiences when one mentions the presence of aliens and a UFO. This film is neither scary nor fits into the spooky season vibe. Yet, it’s the perfect addition to Toronto After Dark, adding a touch of lightheartedness and entertaining dialogue.

Bird Hostage

Bird Hostage, written and directed by Lauren Andrews, is a brief, inspiring story of a scary bird that is kept caged by an ignorant owner. The pet bird is not allowed out of its cage, yet after hearing his dreams and goals, a pet sitter releases the scary-looking vulture. It’s a wonderful though weird story about life and how one should follow their dreams, no matter how caged they may feel.

Ghosts Do Not Exist

An intriguing story about a paranormal investigator who makes one last attempt to prove the existence of the myth of the Bloody Mary. This story is directed like a classic horror film, with the traditional dim lighting and eerie scenes. Because the myth of the Blood Mary is one most people grew up hearing and fearing, Ghosts Do Not Exist is also oddly comforting and evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Forgotten Lake

This short film, written and directed by Brooks and Kennedy, is more than just a skit: it’s a great beer commercial. It centers on two counselors at Forgotten Lake Summer Camp who are shocked to learn that the campfire myth of the Blueberry Boy is true. It starts off with the classic campfire story, building up the suspense with a mix of gore and humour; only in the end is the film revealed to be an advertisement.

Your Money’s No Good Here

This short film by Alex Forman is a comedic story about a man who misunderstands the common phrase, “Your money’s no good here.” This sends his life into a downhill but also humorous spiral. However, the film is not necessarily scary or frightening; it doesn’t resonate with the spooky Halloween vibe like the other films.

Colin Carvey’s Long Halloween

A group of about 60 artists and weirdos from Port Hope, Ont., created Colin Carvey’s Long Halloween. The movie centers on Colin, a young man who has a mask stuck to his body and tries to escape his glued-down costume, only to get confused for a serial killer. Colin Carvey’s Long Halloween is filmed like a vintage silent movie, with cue cards inserted to help piece the story together. In a similar vein to Your Money’s No Good Here, Colin Carvey’s Long Halloween is also not scary but still has a Halloween feeling to it.